Effect of Low and high Sodium Dialysate on Functional Capacity and Health Related Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract

Summary Patients on dialysis have low health related quality of life and an annual mortality rate many-fold greater than the general population. There is uncertainty about whether low sodium in dialysis fluid improves overall health and wellbeing for people on hemodialysis, since there are mixtures of probably good and bad effects. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of low sodium and high sodium dialysate on functional capacity and HRQOL in hemodialysis patients. This comparative case control study included 60 patients divided in to 2 groups; group A included 30 patients on low sodium dialysate (130 mmol/l) and group B included 30 patients on high sodium dialysate (138 mmol/l). They were recruited and assessed for eligibility from Nephrology hemodialysis unit in Luxor International Hospital. Regarding the demographic characteristics of the studied cases, the present results revealed a statistically significant increase in the hemodialysis duration among the low sodium group when compared with the high sodium group (P value <0.05). Additionally, our results indicated a highly statistical significant increase in the percentage of hypertensive patients who were recruited to be dialyzed on low sodium dialysate group as compared with high sodium group (P value <0.001). Our results indicated a non-significant increase in SBP and a statistically significant increase in DBP (P value<0.05) and a statistically significant increase in IDWG at the end of the study among the high Na group (P value<0.001).