BACKGROUND Hemodialysis is a treatment in which uremic toxins and excess water content are removed from the blood with a dialyzer and dialysis fluid. The efficiency of hemodialysis is strongly influenced by the following 3 parameters: the blood flow rate (QB), the dialysis fluid flow rate (QD), and the overall mass transfer area coefficient (K0A), an index of a dialyzer's performance. The flow ...

patients. Semin Dial 2002; 15: 187–190 45. Donauer J, Böhler J. Rationale for the use of blood volume and temperature control devices during hemodialysis. Kidney Blood Press Res 2003; 26: 82–89 46. Maggiore Q, Pizzarelli F, Santoro A et al. Study Group of Thermal Balance and Vascular Stability. The effects of control of thermal balance on vascular stability in hemodialysis patients: results of ...

Patients on chronic hemodialysis often portray high serum [K+]. Although dietary excesses are evident in many cases, in others, the cause of hyperkalemia cannot be identified. In such cases, hyperkalemia could result from decreased potassium removal during dialysis. This situation could occur if alkalinization of body fluids during dialysis would drive potassium into the cell, thus decreasing t...

BACKGROUND The optimal intensity of renal-replacement therapy in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury is controversial. METHODS We randomly assigned critically ill patients with acute kidney injury and failure of at least one nonrenal organ or sepsis to receive intensive or less intensive renal-replacement therapy. The primary end point was death from any cause by day 60. In both ...

Uremic toxins are mainly represented by blood urine nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Crea) whose removal is critically important in hemodialysis (HD) for kidney disease. Patients undergoing HD have a complex illness, resulting from: inadequate removal of organic waste, dialysis-induced oxidative stress and membrane-induced inflammation. Here we report innovative breakthroughs for efficient and sa...

HEALTH POLITICAL BACKGROUND In 2006, the prevalence of chronic renal insufficiency in Germany was 91,718, of which 66,508 patients were on dialysis. The tendency is clearly growing. SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND Chronic renal insufficiency results in a disturbance of the mineral balance. It leads to hyperphosphataemia, which is the strongest independent risk factor for mortality in renal patients. Us...

Nontraumatic rhabdomyolysis may be associated with severe metabolic disturbances. In particular, previous literature has described a 8-20% incidence of acute renal failure in rhabdomyolysis. The aim of this study was to evaluate our experience on 11 patients with acute renal failure treated by high-efficiency daily hemodialysis.