Hemodialysis Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Canadian Society of Nephrology
CHAPTER 5: Frequent and Sustained Hemodialysis
Kailash Jindal, Workgroup Chair,
Christopher T. Chan,
Clement Deziel,
David Hirsch,
Steven D. Soroka,
Marcello Tonelli and
Bruce F. Culleton, CPG Chair
There is an emerging body of evidence which suggests that frequenthemodialysis may provide significant clinical advantages forpatients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) over conventionalhemodialysis (CvHD). The aim of this chapter is to provide arational, evidence-based approach for the clinical use of frequenthemodialysis.
For the purpose of this chapter, short daily hemodialysis (SDHD)is defined as hemodialysis prescribed at 5 to 6 sessions perweek, 2 to 3 h of treatment per session. Nocturnal hemodialysis(NHD) is defined as hemodialysis prescribed at 5 to 6 sessionsper week during sleep, 6 to 8 h treatment per session. The locationof renal replacement therapy has not been specified. SDHD ismost commonly administered in-center, whereas NHD is usuallyprovided at a home setting but not exclusively.
As there is also ongoing interest in sustained treatment hemodialysisand such practice is showing resiliency, we will provide a rational,evidence-based approach for the clinical use of sustained hemodialysis.Thrice-weekly sustained hemodialysis (TWSHD) is defined as hemodialysisprescribed at 3 sessions per week, >4 h treatment per session.
I. Assessment of Adequacy and Dose of Frequent and Sustained Hemodialysis
Consider control of clinical parameters, including blood pressure(BP), extracellular fluid volume control, anemia, mineral metabolism,and nutritional status when evaluating for dialysis adequacy.(Grade D, opinion)
Background
SDHD, NHD, and TWSHD deliver enhanced small solute clearancein comparison to conventional therapies. Although multiple dosingconstructs based on urea kinetics have been proposed, none havebeen validated (13). Furthermore, the optimal dose offrequent or of sustained hemodialysis has not been defined.Although it is clear that all forms of intensive hemodialysiswill exceed the current recommended guideline of hemodialysisadequacy, there is no available evidence for a specific target.In addition to urea kinetics, clinicians must consider clinicalindicators (i.e., BP, extracellular fluid volume control, anemiamanagement, control of mineral metabolism, nutritional status,and overall cardiovascular health) when using frequent or sustainedhemodialysis. Clinicians should consider adjusting durationand frequency of dialysis to provide the best possible clinicaloutcome while balancing patient burden, quality of life, andcosts.
II. Clinical Indications for the Use of Frequent and Sustained Hemodialysis
In patients with poorly controlled BP, consider the use offrequenthemodialysis (Grade D) or sustained hemodialysis. (GradeC)
In patients with significant left ventricular hypertrophyorimpaired left ventricular systolic function, consider theuseof frequent hemodialysis as adjunctive therapy. (Grade D)
In patients who exhibit hemodynamic instability with conventionalhemodialysis, the use of frequent hemodialysis should be considered.(Grade D, opinion)
Background
Hypertension is an adverse prognosticator in patients with ESRD(4). SDHD (5) and NHD (6) have been shown to improve BP controlin observational studies. TWSHD has been shown to improve BPcontrol in one randomized study (7) and in numerous observationalstudies (815). Current evidence suggests that SDHD lowersBP by decreasing extracellular fluid volume (3). In contrast,NHD decreases BP in patients with ESRD primarily via loweringtotal peripheral resistance (16). In addition, NHD has beendocumented to augment flow-mediated dilation (16), which suggeststhat intensive hemodialysis may have a protective vascular effect.In line with this observation, reduced vascular resistance andphenomena other than volume contraction underlying lower BPhave been documented in TWSHD (7,17,18). Further research isrequired to elucidate the impact of frequent or of sustaineddialysis on BP control and clinical outcomes using long-term,prospective, controlled studies.
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and left ventricular systolicdysfunction are potent cardiovascular risk factors in patientswith ESRD (19). To date, numerous medical approaches have beenattempted to improve cardiac geometry and systolic functionin ESRD patients with limited success (20). NHD and SDHD havebeen shown in nonrandomized clinical studies to be associatedwith regression of LVH (5,6,21). NHD was documented in a smallclinical series to restore impaired left ventricular systolicfunction (22). The use of frequent hemodialysis may allow improvedcontrol of left ventricular geometry and systolic function.Further research is required to examine the magnitude and impactof both SDHD and NHD on these potent cardiovascular surrogateendpoints. There is no study of LVH regression with TWSHD. Furthermore,there is a high prevalence of LVH in many observational studiesof TWSHD (12,13,23).
Hemodynamic instability during conventional hemodialysis isnot uncommonly encountered. Usual manifestations include severeleg cramping and intradialytic hypotension (24). Conversionto frequent hemodialysis has been shown to improve patientsoverall sense of well-being (25). Of note, intra- and interdialytichemodynamic instability were greatly improved upon conversionto frequent hemodialysis (26). In the London Daily/NocturnalHemodialysis Study, it was reported that intradialytic symptomsdecreased with the use of SDHD or NHD. It is interesting tonote that the time required to recover from dialysis therapywas substantially lower with frequent hemodialysis in comparisonto conventional hemodialysis. It has been suggested that frequenthemodialysis decreased the potential for intra- and interdialytichemodynamic instability because of the lack of rapid removalof fluid in excess of interstitial refilling (27). More researchis needed to optimally titrate the hemodynamic profile of ESRDpatients with the use of frequent hemodialysis. With respectto TWSHD, one randomized crossover study comparing 4-h versus5-h sessions in TWSHD found less intradialytic and postdialytichypotension with the longer session, but an increase in otherperidialytic symptoms (28).
In patients with refractory hyperphosphatemia and/or secondaryhyperparathyroidism, consider the use of NHD as adjunctive therapy.(Grade D, opinion)
In patients with refractory peripheralvascular disease andectopic calcification, consider the useof NHD as salvage therapy.(Grade D, opinion)
In patientswho exhibit chronic malnutrition, consider the useof frequenthemodialysis as salvage therapy. (Grade D, opinion)
Hyperphosphatemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism in conjunctionwith hypercalcemia have emerged as important contributors tovascular calcification and cardiovascular death in the ESRDpopulation (2931). Normalization of phosphate balanceand superior control of secondary hyperparathyroidism has beenshown by NHD in an observational study (32). SDHD has not resultedin a comparable decrease in phosphate level as seen in NHD.The longitudinal impact of enhanced control of phosphate andlowering of parathyroid hormone axis by NHD on vascular biologyand renal osteodystrophy remains to be clarified.
Peripheral vascular disease remains a leading cause of cardiovascularmorbidity and mortality in the ESRD population. Thus far, medicaltherapy has not resulted in significant success in the improvementof uremia-associated peripheral vascular disease (33). Improvementin peripheral vascular flow as measured by arterial Dopplerwas documented in one patient after conversion from CvHD toNHD (34). It is plausible that any improvement in peripheralvascular disease may occur through resolution of ectopic calcification,which has been reported with the use of NHD (35). It is proposedthat normalization of phosphate balance in conjunction withaugmentation of uremia control facilitates the resorption ofectopic calcification. There is no published data documentingthe impact of SDHD on peripheral vascular disease in ESRD.
Impaired nutritional parameters, including lean body mass, serumalbumin, and protein intake, continue to be potent predictorsof clinical outcome in ESRD patients (36,37). Observationalstudies suggest that frequent hemodialysis improves nutritionalstatus of ESRD patients despite a theoretical concern of overdialysisof water-soluble nutrients (38). SDHD has been shown to improvealbumin, lipid status, and protein anabolism (3942).Similarly, NHD improves nitrogen balance, lipid status, anddietary intake in ESRD patients (41,43,44). Current evidenceon the impact of frequent hemodialysis on malnutrition is limitedby its observational nature and short duration of follow-up.The paucity of long-term or controlled evidence reflects theimportance of further research in this domain.
There is growing enthusiasm for the routine clinical use offrequent hemodialysis. It is important to note that there hasnot yet been any randomized controlled data to support the useof SDHD or NHD (45). Thus far, frequent hemodialysis shows earlypromise in improving clinical outcomes in ESRD patients. Correctionof sleep apnea (46), improvement in cardiac autonomic balance(16), and amelioration of homocysteine level (47) continue tosuggest that augmentation of uremic clearance is associatedwith improved surrogate endpoints, especially with NHD. By providingenhanced clearance, frequent hemodialysis represents a uniqueopportunity for the renal community to gain further insightsinto the basic science of uremia and its impact on other bodysystems. The true clinical effect of frequent hemodialysis canonly be elucidated by a longitudinal, controlled, clinical study.Finally, the widespread implementation of frequent hemodialysismay only be achieved if barriers in cost, social perception,and hemodialysis training are studied in a systematic manner.
Interest in TWSHD stems from sometimes exceptional survivaldata and BP management in mostly uncontrolled populations. Asincremental hemodialysis is gaining popularity and because somepatients may accept overnight sustained hemodialysis but noton a daily basis, it is important that such endeavors be exploredin a rigorous, prospective manners. NHD provides not only frequentbut also sustained hemodialysis compared with CvHD. Dialysisduration is readily recognized as a critical factor for waterremoval independent of Kt/V urea. The time dependence of uremictoxins other than water, like phosphate, and of surrogate markersof survival, like LVH, needs to be studied.
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