Online hemodiafiltration (online HDF) is a new hemodialysis technique combining convection and diffusion and thus also enabling the purification of large molecules. As yet, only a small number of clinical experiences have been published about the effectiveness and safety of online HDF. We present a prospective and observational study conducted on 31 patients treated with online HDF in our center in the last 4 years. The purpose of the study is to compare the evolution of the following aspects before and after starting online HDF: dose of dialysis, purification of medium-sized/large molecules, inflammation, nutrition, Ca-P metabolism, anemia, and intradialytic complications. Online HDF increased Kt/V to 31.0% (p > 0.001) and reduced postdialysis beta(2)-M to 66.4% (p > 0.001). The rest of the parameters analyzed did not vary significantly. During online HDF, episodes of symptomatic hypotension fell by 45% in relation to conventional hemodialysis, and no relevant complication occurred. Online HDF is very useful in patients in whom we need to increase replacement therapy, such as patients with a large body surface, those in whom we suspect a residual syndrome or those who have been receiving dialysis for a long time and for whom we wish to prevent amyloidosis. Online HDF is safe and better tolerated than conventional hemodialysis.

Objective Mupirocin ointment and antiseptics are standard cleansing agents in routine exit-site care of peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheters, but these agents have a deleterious effect on polyurethane devices. We assessed the effectiveness of topical use of ciprofloxacin otologic solution for preventing exit-site infection (ESI) in PD patients with polyurethane catheters. Design Prospective study. Setting Service of Nephrology of an acute-care teaching hospital in Galdácano, Bizkaia, Spain. Patients A total of 164 patients with polyurethane catheters inserted was studied from start of continuous ambulatory PD to the end of a 24-month period. Patients were divided into two groups according to exit-site treatment protocols. Intervention Patients in group 1 ( n = 86) were instructed on daily exit-site care with soap and water only; whereas patients in group 2 ( n = 78) cleansed with soap and water, followed by application of a single-dose vial of 0.5 mL ciprofloxacin (1 mg) for application around the insertion site. Main Outcome Measures Episodes of ESI and peritonitis. Results There were 67 episodes of ESI among patients in group 1 versus 9 episodes among patients in group 2 ( p < 0.05), resulting in a rate of 0.41 and 0.06 episodes per patient-year of exposure, respectively ( p < 0.001). Staphylococcus aureus ESI rate was 0.34 in group 1 versus 0.06 in group 2 ( p = 0.001). Infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other pathogens occurred in 11 patients in group 1 and in no patients in group 2 ( p = 0.05). Peritonitis due to S. aureus ESI was significantly less frequent among patients treated with ciprofloxacin (1 vs 9 cases, p = 0.001). Removal of the catheter was necessary in 5 patients in group 1 and in no patients in group 2 ( p < 0.05). Conclusion Daily application of ciprofloxacin otologic solution at the exit site of PD patients with polyurethane catheters inserted significantly reduces the rate of ESI caused by S. aureus and other organisms, particularly P. aeruginosa.

Objectives The aim of this prospective study was to collect long-term experience in incident peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients treated with pure bicarbonate-buffered PD fluids. Methods The metabolic parameters acidosis, acid–base status, adequacy, fluid balance, nutritional markers, calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and general laboratory work and medication were compared between incident PD patients in two groups: one treated with a 34 mmol/L bicarbonate-buffered PD fluid (BIC), the other with a 35 mmol/L lactate-buffered PD fluid (LAC). The observation period included 5 visits from 1 month (visit 1) until 12 months (visit 5) after the start of dialysis treatment. For the descriptive analysis, means and standard deviations were calculated. Student's t-test and linear mixed models were used to compare the two treatment groups. Results 36 patients were followed for 12 months, 18 in the BIC group and 18 in the LAC group. Statistically significant differences between the groups (at the end of study) were found. In BIC group, venous plasma bicarbonate was 27.4 ± 2.3 mmol/L, base excess 0.8 ± 2.2 mmol/L, and pH 7.31 ± 0.05; in LAC group, venous bicarbonate was 25.9 ± 2.4 mmol/L, base excess –0.6 ± 2.1 mmol/L, and pH 7.30 ± 0.04. No patient from the BIC group needed oral bicarbonate, in contrast to 4 patients in the LAC group. Whereas peritoneal urea and creatinine clearances did not differ between the groups, there was better renal solute clearance in the BIC group, accompanied by better-preserved diuresis at 12 months (1333 ± 935 mL with BIC vs 839 ± 556 mL with LAC). The reverse was true for ultrafiltration. Conclusions Pure bicarbonate-buffered PD solutions were superior in correcting metabolic acidosis and they allowed omission of oral bicarbonate. The minor ultrafiltration with bicarbonate-buffered PD solutions was counterbalanced by better-preserved residual renal function with these solutions.

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