title: Comparison of biochemical, haematological and volume parameters in two treatment schedules of nocturnal home haemodialysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The biochemical, haemodynamic, clinical and nutritional benefits of nocturnal home haemodialysis (NHHD) compared with 4 h, three times per week conventional haemodialysis are well known and accrue by increasing dialysis time and frequency either for 8 h alternate night per week (NHHD3.5) or for 8 h six nights per week (NHHD6). However, there are little data comparing NHHD3.5 with NHHD6.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients on NHHD6 were compared with 21 patients on NHHD3.5, all with similar demographic profiles. Pre- and post-dialysis phosphate (PO4) control was ideal between the groups. However, all NHHD6 needed PO4 supplementation compared with 4/21 (19%) NHHD3.5. In the present study, 8/21 (38%) NHHD3.5 needed PO4 binders whereas none was required with NHHD6. The pre-haemoglobin (Hb) 122.8 g/L (NHHD6) versus 124.9 g/L (NHHD3.5) and the pre-albumin 38.31 g/L (NHHD6) versus 37.71 g/L (NHHD3.5) were not significantly different. NHHD6 had significantly lower pre-blood urea and creatinine (10.16 vs 19.54 mmol/L and 437.0 vs 812.3 micromol/L, respectively). Less interdialytic urea and creatinine fluctuation were also noted in NHHD6. Of major significance was the significantly lower ultra filtration rate and intradialytic weight gains (mean +/- SEM) of NHHD6 (249 +/- 76 mL/h and 2.0 +/- 0.65 kg) versus NHHD3.5 (425 +/- 168 mL/h and 2.9 +/- 1.2 kg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors conclude that NHHD6 offers the optimum biochemical, volume and clinical outcome, but NHHD3.5 has additional appeal to providers seeking home-based therapy cost advantages and consumable expenditure control. A flexible dialysis programme should offer all the time and frequency options of NHHD but in particular, should support NHHD at a frequency sympathetic to the clinical rehabilitation and lifestyle aspirations of individual patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Geelong Hospital, Geelong, Australia. kmahadev76@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kumar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mahadevan
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pellicano
authors.forename: Alistair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: Kevan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Polkinghorne
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Agar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001810:Blood Volume; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006437:Hemodialysis, Home / Q000379:methods*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010710:Phosphates; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D002118:Calcium