Recent data suggest that treatment with n-3

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Symptoms can markedly influence the hemodialysis patients well-being and quality of life. The aim of this paper is to study the frequency of symptoms at home and how these relate to biochemical and treatment variables. Seventy-three hemodialysis patients were questioned on the absence, occasional presence or daily recurrence (score = 0, 1, 2) of 14 symptoms and a record was made of their biochemical parameters, age, time on treatment and KtIV as a function of each symptom. The following relationships were detected: thirst with high Osm and BUN; asthenia with old age and hypoalbuminemia; insomnia with hypercalcemia; hypersomnia with hypoxemia and hypernatremia; anorexia with hypokalemia; dyspnea with old age, hypernatremia and hypokalemia; dysgeusia with hypoxemia; nausea with alkalemia, hypoxemia and low BUN; vomiting with alkalemia. Pruritus, arthralgia, restless legs syndrome, cramp and tremor showed no relationships. Monitoring acid-base balance and plasma electrolytes could help to alleviate symptoms and ameliorate quality of life of hemodialysis patients.

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A new device allowing sampling to be performed at any time, and using the filtrate obtained during hemodialysis is described. The device was used in 27 patients undergoing regular dialysis. Urea, creatinine and potassium were measured in samples taken both from arterial blood and from the device at 10, 40, 120 and 230 minutes after the beginning of the dialysis. The results were compared. A constant bias of about 10% was noted between the two sets of results but statistical analysis showed this was correctable.

A new device measuring water removal during standard dialysis is evaluated. The filtrate, collected from a small hemofilter inserted into a normal Cuprophan hollow-fiber dialyzer, was used to evaluate the total water removed from the patient. The device was tested in 46 patients undergoing regular dialysis treatment; the body weight loss ranged from 300 to 5,600 ml for a total of 71 dialysis sessions. Results confirmed the reliability of the device, as the mean prediction error was 5.4%. No influence of the dialyzer blood rest volume on the prediction error was observed. The authors propose this system as an alternative to bed or armchair scales and emphasize its usefulness for experimental purposes.

— The Authors describe the favourable results obtained in 3 patients with Idiopathic Retroperitoneal Fibrosis (IRF) using a therapeutic protocol based on the association of prednisolone and cyclophosphamide. In 2 patients this therapy obtained a partial radiologic and total clinical remission; in the third case it guaranteed a stabilization of the results obtained by previous surgery. Given the absence of significant side effects, the protocol may be taken into consideration for practically all patients with TRF.

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