Seven-year Survival Rate of On-line Hemodiafiltration

Conventional high-flux hemodialysis (HD) is not as good as normal kidney function. Morbidity and mortality rates of patients receiving HD are still very high. To increase mid-to-large molecule clearance by combining diffusion and convection, on-line hemodiafiltration (HDF) is required. The objective of this study was to compare long-term survival rate of patients treated with on-line HDF to those who received conventional high-flux HD by reviewing data from Chonnam National University Hospital (CNUH). We selected patients who attended the 'CUNH dialysis center' and agreed to participate in the study. Overall, 40 patients with ESRD switched from high flux HD to on-line HDF or started on-line HDF from August 2007 to December 2009. Additionally, a total of 42 patients receiving conventional high-flux HD during the same period were enrolled. We then reviewed long-term survival rate of patients receiving on-line HDF over the next seven years. When we compared survival rates for seven years, the survival rate of the group receiving on-line HDF was 65% (26/40) while that of the group receiving the conventional high-flux HD was 54.8% (23/42). Although the number of patients was small to see survival difference clearly by one specific dialysis modality, there was somewhat difference in survival rate between the two groups. Indicators such as anemia, calcium-phosphate metabolism, nutritional status, treatment adequacy, and hospitalization were also improved in the group receiving HDF. Overall, results of our study showed beneficial effects of on-line HDF on clinical outcomes and survival in chronic HD patients.