PREVALENCE OF HYPERTENSION IN LOW FLUX VERSUS HIGH FLUX MODALITIES OF MAINTENANCE HEMODIALYSIS - A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Background:Hypertension is common in patients on dialysis. Hemodialysis dialyzer membrane may me either High-flux or Low-flux type and biocompatibility of membranes also may be less or more in both these types. There has been no study comparing the control of hypertension across these Low and High-flux modalities with use of same Ultrapure water and same High biocompatible membrane for both the modalities. Methods: Pre-dialytic BP has been recorded one hour before starting and Post-dialytic BP two hours after finishing Hemodialysis. Intra-dialytic BP has been measured at every 30 minutes interval. All BP recordings have been done for all patients for five hemodialysis sessions and recordings are compared. Number of antihypertensive drugs required in each group have been compared. Fluid overload causing hypertension have been excluded by excluding Intra-Dialytic Weight Gain more than 4.5%. Results:While comparing Pre-dialytic, Intra-dialytic and Post-dialytic BP across Low and High-flux modalities, the p value obtained in each of the case was greater than 0.05, and requirement of antihypertensive drugs and Intra-Dialytic Weight Gain also have no significant difference across these Low and High-flux modalities. Conclusions:It has been concluded from this study that both the Low flux and High flux modalities of hemodialysis are equally efficacious in terms of BP control when same Ultrapure water and High biocompatible membrane is used, and there is no difference in requirement of antihypertensive drugs and Intra-Dialytic Weight Gain across these two modalities.