Table 1.
Baseline patient characteristics by category of dialysate bicarbonate
| characteristic | All patients | Dialysate Bicarbonate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 32 mEq/L | 33–37 mEq/L | ≥38 mEq/L | ||
| No. of patients | 17,031 | 2,351 | 10,851 | 3,829 |
| Age (y) | 63.5 ± 15.0 | 65.2 ± 14.6 | 63.8 ± 14.9 | 61.7 ± 15.3 |
| Male sex | 57.8 | 58.0 | 57.7 | 57.8 |
| Dialysis vintage (y) | 3.6 ± 5.0 | 3.8 ± 5.3 | 3.6 ± 5.1 | 3.5 ± 4.6 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 26.4 ± 6.1 | 26.0 ± 5.7 | 26.3 ± 6.0 | 27.0 ± 6.7 |
| Comorbid conditions | ||||
| Coronary artery disease | 48.0 | 45.6 | 47.0 | 52.2 |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 17.7 | 19.7 | 17.6 | 16.8 |
| Other cardiovascular disease | 36.1 | 38.7 | 37.0 | 31.8 |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 31.5 | 33.9 | 31.5 | 30.1 |
| Congestive heart failure | 35.1 | 36.8 | 34.1 | 36.9 |
| Hypertension | 85.5 | 88.3 | 84.4 | 87.1 |
| Diabetes | 41.4 | 38.2 | 40.0 | 47.6 |
| COPD | 15.4 | 16.0 | 15.2 | 15.6 |
| Gastrointestinal bleeding | 5.7 | 4.5 | 5.9 | 5.9 |
| Neurologic disease | 12.4 | 13.5 | 12.0 | 13.0 |
| Psychiatric disorder | 20.6 | 18.0 | 20.0 | 23.9 |
| Cancer (nonskin) | 14.7 | 15.7 | 14.5 | 14.5 |
| Recurrent cellulitis | 10.4 | 11.0 | 10.4 | 9.8 |
| Serum Bicarbonate (mEq/L) | 22.9 ± 3.5 | 22.2 ± 3.3 | 23.0 ± 3.4 | 23.1 ± 3.9 |
| Albumin (g/dL) | 3.67 ± 0.51 | 3.71 ± 0.56 | 3.66 ± 0.51 | 3.67 ± 0.50 |
| Hemoglobin (g/dL) | 11.4 ± 1.5 | 11.4 ± 1.5 | 11.4 ± 1.5 | 11.5 ± 1.5 |
| Calcium (mg/dL) | 9.1 ± 0.8 | 9.0 ± 0.8 | 9.1 ± 0.8 | 9.1 ± 0.9 |
| Predialysis SBP (mm Hg) | 143 ± 25 | 140 ± 25 | 143 ± 25 | 146 ± 26 |
| Postdialysis SBP (mm Hg) | 135 ± 25 | 133 ± 24 | 135 ± 25 | 136 ± 25 |
| Catheter use | 30.9 | 26.7 | 31.1 | 32.8 |
| Residual kidney function | 38.5 | 50.9 | 37.6 | 33.3 |
| Single-pool Kt/V | 1.48 ± 0.33 | 1.45 ± 0.35 | 1.49 ± 0.33 | 1.50 ± 0.31 |
| Treatment time (min) | 232 ± 39 | 243 ± 40 | 233 ± 39 | 224 ± 37 |
| Blood Flow Rate (mL/min) | 345 ± 75 | 308 ± 60 | 342 ± 74 | 379 ± 73 |
| Dialysate calcium (mEq/L) | 2.8 ± 0.4 | 2.9 ± 0.3 | 2.8 ± 0.4 | 2.6 ± 0.3 |
| Dialysate sodium (mEq/L)* | 139.6 ± 1.8 | 139.2 ± 1.7 | 139.6 ± 1.7 | 139.9 ± 2.1 |
| Dialysate potassium (mEq/L) | 2.1 ± 0.7 | 2.3 ± 0.7 | 2.1 ± 0.7 | 2.1 ± 0.6 |
| Sodium modeling | 18.2 | 8.3 | 16.1 | 30.5 |
| Oral sodium bicarbonate prescription | 9.3 | 10.9 | 9.8 | 6.7 |
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, values for categorical variables are given as percentages; values for continuous variables are given as mean ± standard deviation. Conversion factors for calcium in mg/dL to mmol/L, x0.2495.
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; SBP, systolic blood pressure.
*
Excluding sodium modeling