Comparing outcomes with different dialysis modalities in children with kidney failure: home hemodialysis versus in-center hemodiafiltration or conventional hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND

Home hemodialysis (HHD) and hemodiafiltration (HDF) have independently shown superior cardiovascular outcomes compared with conventional hemodialysis (HD) in adults, but pediatric data are scarce. We compared outcomes on HHD, HDF and HD therapies in children.

METHODS

Single-center data from HHD patients over 13 years were compared with the multicenter prospective "3H - HDF, Heart and Height" study. Systolic blood pressure [SBP] standard deviation score [SDS], left ventricular mass index [LVMI], height-SDS, biochemical markers, dialysis-related symptoms and medication burden were compared within the HHD cohort and between the three dialysis modalities at baseline and 12 months.

RESULTS

Among 38 HHD patients with complete follow-up, there were no improvements in SBP-SDS, LVMI or height-SDS over 12 months. Serum phosphate levels decreased (median difference -0.15 mmol/L [95% CI -0.5 to -0.1]; p = 0.002) and hemoglobin increased (+ 1.1 g/dL [95% CI 0.3 to 2.0]; p = 0.01). Comparing 38 HHD patients to 55 HDF and 78 HD patients, SBP-SDS, LVMI, and height-SDS were comparable between HHD and HDF at 12 months. LVMI was lower in HHD compared with HD (-11.8 g/m [95% CI -16.0 to -4.1]; p = 0.003). SBP-SDS and height-SDS were comparable between HHD and HD. PTH and hemoglobin were comparable between HHD and HDF, despite lower phosphate levels in HHD. The frequency of dialysis-related symptoms were comparable between HHD and HDF, and less frequent than in HD.

CONCLUSIONS

In pediatric patients, HHD and HDF showed comparable outcomes for cardiovascular burden, growth, and dialysis-related symptoms, and both demonstrated superior clinical outcomes compared with conventional HD.