Effects of Daily Home Hemodialysis on Circulation, Mental Functions, and Quality of Life

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study was designed to discover mechanisms responsible for the decrease in (high) blood pressure after starting daily hemodialysis, as has been observed by various investigators. We hypothesized that better control of body water and sodium content and a decline in the autonomic (sympathetic) nervous system activity, increased in chronic renal failure patients, would contribute to improved blood pressure regulation. Moreover, we studied the effects of daily hemodialysis on mental functions, like information processing and memory, in relation to the previously reported improvement in quality of life, and the effects on nutrition. We hypothesized that all would improve.

Detailed Description
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Although conventional hemodialysis has faced many technical improvements in recent years, a great deal of end-stage renal disease patients, treated with this modality, have suboptimal or high blood pressure, and suffer poor quality of life. Daily hemodialysis has been reported to improve both, but the pathophysiological background is poorly understood. Patients were studied before and after 6 months of daily (i.e.6 times a week) home hemodialysis, and again after two months of conventional (i.e. thrice weekly) hemodialysis. We measured the effects of daily dialysis (compared with conventional dialysis) on blood pressure, cardiac output, extracellular fluid volume, plasma renin activity, sympathetic nervous system activity (through MSNA), the electroencephalogram (EEG), neurocognitive functioning (speed of information processing, memory, executive functioning, and attention), quality of life, and nutritional status

Official Title
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Study Into the Effects of Daily Home Hemodialysis on Hemodynamics, Neurocognitive Functions, and Quality of Life

Conditions
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End-Stage Renal Disease

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: Daily home hemodialysis


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: End-stage renal disease patients Fit and motivated for home hemodialysis Exclusion Criteria: Patients, who were treated with frequent dialysis (5 or 6 times a week) before Diabetes mellitus Severe comorbidity (e.g. malignancies)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Procedure: Daily home hemodialysis|nan|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Blood pressure at 6 months |  |  | 
| Cardiac output at 6 months |  |  | 
| Extracellular fluid volume at 6 months |  |  | 
| Plasma renin activity at 6 months |  |  | 
| Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) at 6 months |  |  | 
| Electroencephalogram (EEG) at 6 months |  |  | 
| Neurocognitive functioning at 6 months |  |  | 
| Quality of life at 6 months |  |  | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nutritional status at 6 months |  |  |