All-cause mortality in relation to changes in relative blood volume during hemodialysis.

Background: Relative blood volume (RBV) monitoring is widely used in hemodialysis (HD) patients, yet the association between intradialytic RBV and mortality is unknown.

Methods: Intradialytic RBV was recorded once/min during a 6-month baseline period; all-cause mortality was noted during follow-up. RBV at 1, 2 and 3 h into HD served as a predictor of all-cause mortality during follow-up. We employed Kaplan-Meier analysis, univariate and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models for survival analysis.

Results: We studied 842 patients. During follow-up (median 30.8 months), 249 patients (29.6%) died. The following hourly RBV ranges were associated with improved survival: first hour, 93-96% [hazard ratio (HR) 0.58 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42-0.79)]; second hour, 89-94% [HR 0.54 (95% CI 0.39-0.75)]; third hour, 86-92% [HR 0.46 (95% CI 0.33-0.65)]. In about one-third of patients the RBV was within these ranges and in two-thirds it was above. Subgroup analysis by median age (≤/> 61 years), sex, race (white/nonwhite), predialysis systolic blood pressure (SBP; ≤/> 130 mmHg) and median interdialytic weight gain (≤/> 2.3 kg) showed comparable favorable RBV ranges. Patients with a 3-h RBV between 86 and 92% were younger, had higher ultrafiltration volumes and rates, similar intradialytic average and nadir SBPs and hypotension rates, lower postdialysis SBP and a lower prevalence of congestive heart failure when compared with patients with an RBV >92%. In the multivariate Cox analysis, RBV ranges remained independent and significant outcome predictors.

Conclusion: Specific hourly intradialytic RBV ranges are associated with lower all-cause mortality in chronic HD patients.