Studying the Effect of Dialysate Temperature on Toxin Removal and Hypotension

Hemodialysis (HD) is widely used treatment for end stage renal diseases (ESRD) patients. The chief aims of HD are solute and fluid removal. Decades of practice have improved HD care, but more can be done to improve morbidity and mortality. Enhancing toxin removal is an important consideration for improved patient outcomes. Also, decreasing the incidence of intra-dialytic hypotensive (IDH) episodes (dominant in Singapore patient cohort) can significantly reduce associated morbidities and mortality. A simple maneuver for clinicians is the dialysate temperature. Literature suggests that a lower dialysate temperature (35ºC) results in reduced hypotensive episodes by vasoconstriction. Conversely, higher dialysate temperature resulting in higher blood temperature decreases the peripheral resistance, leading to increased toxin removal, but may cause IDH episodes partly due to vasodilation. Optimal manipulation of the dialysate temperature is therefore primary handles to obtain the improved patient outcomes. In this study, the effect of dialysate temperature (cool vs. warm dialysate) on toxin removal will be studied. In both the interventions, outcome measure will be patient hemodynamic response and amount of toxins removed. The spent dialysate will be collected to study the quantum of toxin removed.