Impact of dry weight determined by calf bioimpedance ratio on carotid stiffness and left ventricular hypertrophy in hemodialysis patients.

Our previous study has shown that modification of bioimpedance technique by the measurement of bioimpedance ratio in the calf (calf-BR) was a simple and practical method in assessing fluid status in hemodialysis patients. However, the consequences of periodical dry weight (DW) adjustment under the guidance of calf-BR on target organ damage have not been investigated. One hundred fifteen hemodialysis patients were enrolled in this pilot trial. Patients were divided into bioimpedance group and control group according to their dialysis schedule. In the bioimpedance group, DW was routinely adjusted under the guidance of calf-BR every 3 months. In the control group, the assessment of DW remained a clinical judgment. Carotid stiffness, left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and calf-BR were measured at baseline and at the 12th month in both groups. Home blood pressure (BP) was monitored monthly. Episodes of dialysis-related adverse events were recorded. No significant differences were observed in parameters between the two groups at baseline. Compared with the control group, the bioimpedance group had significantly lower values in terms of the annual averages of systolic home BP (147.4 ± 15.3 mm Hg vs. 152.6 ± 16.9 mm Hg, P = 0.019), carotid stiffness index β (10.7 ± 3.3 vs. 12.2 ± 3.1, P = 0.003), LVMI (155.21 ± 15.64 g/m(2) vs. 165.17 ± 16.76 g/m(2) , P < 0.001), and the percentage of individuals with calf-BR over target range (P = 0.040) at month 12, with less annual averages of antihypertensive medications used and lower frequency of intradialytic hypotension, muscle cramps, or clotted angioaccess. Continued DW control achieved by periodical calf-BR measurement improved arterial stiffness and left ventricular hypertrophy with good tolerability in hemodialysis patients.