title: Effects of High-Flux versus Low-Flux Membranes on Pulmonary Function Tests in Hemodialysis Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have been carried out to evaluate the effects of dialysis on pulmonary function tests (PFT). Dialysis procedure may reduce lung volumes and capacities or cause hypoxia; however, to the best of our knowledge, there is no previous study evaluating the effects of membrane type (high flux vs. low flux) on PFT in these patients. The aim of this study was the evaluation of this relationship.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 43 hemodialysis patients without pulmonary disease were enrolled. In these patients dialysis was conducted by low-and high-flux membranes and before and after the procedure, spirometry was done and the results were evaluated by t-test and chi square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients was 56.34 years. Twenty-three of them were female (53.5%). Type of membrane (high flux vs. low flux) had no effect on spirometry results of patients despite the significant decrease in the body weight during the dialysis session.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High flux membrane had no advantage over low flux membrane in terms of improvement in spirometry findings; thus, we could not offer these expensive membranes for this purpose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Momeni
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rouhi
authors.affiliation: Kashan University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Glareh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kiani
authors.affiliation: Social Health Determinants Research Center and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amiri
keywords: Hemodialysis; High flux membrane; Pulmonary function tests; Spirometry