The amount of sodium removed by hemodialysis.

The amount of sodium removed by hemodialysis was estimated, without using radioisotopes, as the change in total osmotically active cations, which is the product of the serum sodium concentration and urea-space. The extracellular and total body fluid volumes were measured using 35SO4 and 3H2O, respectively, in five stable hemodialysis patients under four different conditions. Urea-space determined, based on urea kinetics, was consistent with total body fluid volume measured by 3H2O. The amount of sodium removal, estimated as the change in the product of the serum (Na+) and urea-space, was equal to the change in the sodium content, which is the product of the serum (Na+) and extracellular fluid volume measured by 35SO4. Sodium removal may be divided into two components, diffusion and ultrafiltration.