Progression of residual renal function with an increase in dialysis: haemodialysis versus peritoneal dialysis.

Abstract

Patients who begin treatment with two sessions of haemodialysis per week experience the same rate of decrease in residual renal function as patients treated with peritoneal dialysis. The progression of the concentration of β2-microglobulin is parallel to that of the glomerular filtration rate. Patients treated with two haemodialysis sessions require a lower dose of erythropoietin than those who receive three sessions per week, but a significantly higher dose than those treated with peritoneal dialysis, which suggests that the response of anaemia to erythropoietic agents is not only related to residual renal function, but also to other factors that are inherent to the dialysis technique.