Introduction: The ionic dialysance monitor allows an automated measure of Kt in each dialysis session. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) determines the total body water which it is equivalent to the urea volume of distribution (V). If the Kt, determined by ionic dialysance, is divided by the V, estimated by bioelectrical impedance, a Kt/V at the end of dialysis session (Kt/VDiBi) is obtained.
Aim of the study: To evaluate the agreement between the Kt/VDiBi and the Kt/V obtained by two simplified formulas: the monocompartimental (Kt/Vm) and the equilibrated (Kt/Ve) Daugirdas equations.
Methods: The Kt/VDiBi, the Kt/Vm and the Kt/Ve were determined in 38 hemodialysis patients (27 males and 11 females) in the same hemodialysis session. The patients were on dialysis three times a week for 3.5 to 4 hours. The V was determined by monofrequency bioelectrical impedance (50 kHz) at the end of the dialysis session.
Results: The Kt/VDiBi, Kt/Vm and Kt/Ve were 1.29+/-0.26, 1.54+/-0.29 and 1.36+/-0.25, respectively (p<0.001 between the Kt/VDiBi and the KtVm, and p<0.001 between the KtV/DiBi and the Kt/Ve). The intraclass correlation coefficient showed better concordance between the KtV/DiBi and the Kt/Ve (coefficient 0.88) than between the Kt/VDiBi and the KtVm (coefficient 0.65). The relative difference of the Kt/VDiBi was 8.3+/-6.4% with respect to the Kt/Ve and 18.4+/-7.8 % with respect to the Kt/Vm (p<0.001). The relative difference between the Kt/VDiBi and the Kt/Ve was lower than 15% in the 84% of the patients and lower than 10% in the 64% of the patients.
Conclusions: If the V obtained by bioelectrical impedance analysis is included in the ionic dialysance monitor, we can obtain a Kt/V for each patient in real time, which is similar to the equilibrated Kt/V obtained from the Daugirdas equation.