Urea kinetics with dialyzer reuse--a prospective study.
We performed a prospective study to examine the impact of dialyzer reuse on KT/V under rigidly standardized conditions on 3 membrane types. Heparin dosage was standardized with ACT during an eight week run-in period and remained unchanged through the study. Post dialysis BUN and weight were obtained at five minutes after exactly 80 +/- 0.5 l of blood were processed through the dialyzer. Dialyzers were reused after automated glutaraldehyde processing and after ensuring >80% open fiber bundles. Each membrane type was utilized 3 times on a set of 3 patients; each individual dialyzer was reused 8 times. KT/V was done on the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 8th uses of each dialyzer (36 measurements) starting mid week; BUN measurements were grouped. The KT/V (mean +/- SD) for the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 8th uses of the cellulose acetate dialyzer were 1.3 +/- 0.2, 1.3 +/- 0.3, 1.3 +/- 0.2, 1.3 +/- 0.2 respectively; the corresponding values of the cuprophane dialyzer were 1.4 +/- 0.3, 1.4 +/- 0.3, 1.3 +/- 0.4, 1.3 +/- 0.3 respectively; and those of the polysulfone dialyzer 1.7 +/- 0.3, 1.6 +/- 0.2, 1.6 +/- 0.2 respectively. By a 3 way ANOVA there were no significant differences between the 1st and subsequent uses of any of the dialyzers tested.


CONCLUSIONS
Reuse of dialyzers up to 8 times does not result in a loss of urea clearance. We believe this model is useful for further studies on reuse and quality assurance.
Sridhar
N R
NR
State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Buffalo General Hospital, Buffalo, NY, USA.
Ferrand
K
K
Reger
D
D
Hayes
P
P
Pinnavaia
L
L
Butts
D
D
Kohli
R
R
Papandenatos
G
G
D000368:Aged; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D017743:Equipment Reuse; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014508:Urea / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D014508:Urea; D005976:Glutaral