Hemodialysis with bicarbonate 30 mEq/l versus 34 mEq/l and acetate: better hemodynamic tolerance and electrolyte and acid-base homeostasis

Abstract

The use of bicarbonate buffer in dialysis is more physiological than acetate. The aim of this prospective study was to compare the hemodynamic stability, acid-base and electrolyte balance changes in a group of 5 hospital hemodialysis (HD) patients, with 3 different dialysis fluids: one with 30 mEq/l of bicarbonate (B30), another with 34 mEq/l of bicarbonate (B34) and the last with acetate (ACE). All the patients had more than 12 months in HD. Each patient had HD treatment with one of the 3 different dialysis fluids: ACE, B30, B34. Each HD had a duration of 4 hours, with less than 5% dry weight ultrafiltration (UF) and continuous cardiac monitoring. The following clinical and laboratory data were evaluated: arterial blood pressure (BP), cardiac rate (CR), respiratory rate (RR), cardiac arrhythmias, blood urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, magnesium, total calcium (Ca), ionised calcium (Ca++), pH, bicarbonate (HCO3-) and pCO2. Statistic analysis was performed using Student's paired t test and ANOVA with Bonferroni correction. Clinical evaluation showed a CR increase only in the ACE group (pre X = 78.4 to 4 degrees h X = 102.6 p < 0.001). Analytical results demonstrated, at the 1st h, Ca++ stability in the B30 group; in the first 30' the pH decreased in the ACE group (pre X = 7.35 to 30' X = 7.34); during HD, HCO3- was not corrected in the ACE group (pre X = 19.4 to 4th h X = 20.0); at 4th, pCO2 also decreased in this group (pre X = 34.5 to 4th h X = 28.4 p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)