Frequent Nocturnal Hemodialysis Reduces LV Mass

Frequent Nocturnal Hemodialysis Reduces LV Mass


Patients undergoing hemodialysis 6 nights a week show a greater reduction in left ventricular mass than those on a conventional treatment schedule.


Writing in JAMA, Canadian researchers report randomizing some 50 patients to a schedule of either 6 nights a week of home hemodialysis or conventional 3-days-a-week treatment. After 6 months, those on frequent nocturnal dialysis showed a nearly 18-g decrease in left ventricular mass, while those on conventional treatment showed a 1.8-g increase.


An editorialist comments that proving a survival benefit will be elusive, given the difficulty in recruiting patients, but he says the study succeeded in "clearly demonstrating reduced [left ventricular hypertrophy] with nocturnal hemodialysis."

JAMA article (Free)


JAMA editorial (Subscription required)