Hemodiafiltration without replacement fluid. An experimental study.

Paired filtration dialysis (PFD) is the only hemodiafiltration (HDF) technique in which the ultrafiltrate is continuously available but not mixed with the dialysate. As is the case during all convective or predominantly convective techniques, use of a replacement fluid is necessary in an amount equal to the difference between the ultrafiltrate and the desired patient weight loss. This replacement fluid must have an adequate electrolytic composition (Na+, Ca++, and buffer), and must be sterile and pyrogen free. Using an uncoated adsorbent charcoal cartridge (130 g), the ultrafiltrate obtained in PFD was regenerated, eliminating both the small (except for urea, glucose, and phosphates) and medium-to-large solutes but not the electrolytes and bicarbonate. This verified the ultrafiltrate's possible use as replacement fluid. This technique experimentally studied during 24 standard PFD sessions, with a total mean ultrafiltrate of 9,950 +/- 860 ml, allowed a replacement solution to be obtained with the following mean +/- SD composition: pH 7.467 +/- 0.122, HCO3- 27.0 +/- 2.12 mmol/L, Na+ 137.4 +/- 2.6 mmol/L, K+ 4.1 +/- 0.83 mmol/L, Ca++ 1.12 +/- 0.19 mmol/L, urea 68.3 +/- 16.2 mg/dl, creatinine 0.08 +/- 0.02 mg/dl, uric acid 0.05 mg/dl, phosphates 2.77 +/- 0.71 mg/dl, beta-2 microglobulin 0.5 +/- 0.4 mg/L, and atrial natriuretic peptide 4.41 +/- 5.6 pg/ml.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)