The Effect of Frequent Hemodialysis on Nutrition and Body Composition: Frequent Hemodialysis Network Trial

We investigated the effects of frequency of hemodialysis on nutritional status by analyzing the data in the Frequent Hemodialysis Network Trial. We compared changes in albumin, body weight and composition among 245 patients randomized to 6- or 3-times per week in-center hemodialysis (Daily Trial) and 87 patients randomized to 6-times per week nocturnal or 3-times per week conventional hemodialysis, performed largely at home (Nocturnal Trial). In the Daily Trial, there were no significant differences between groups in changes in serum albumin or the equilibrated protein catabolic rate by 12 months. There was a significant relative decrease in pre-dialysis body weight of 1.5 ± 0.2 kg in the 6 times per week group at one month, but this significantly rebounded by 1.3 ± 0.5 kg over the remaining 11 months. Extracellular water decreased in the 6 times per week compared to the 3 per week hemodialysis group. There were no significant between-group differences in phase angle, intracellular water or body cell mass. In the Nocturnal Trial, there were no significant between-group differences in any study parameter. Any gain in “dry” body weight corresponded to increased adiposity rather than muscle mass but was not statistically significant. Thus, frequent in-center hemodialysis reduced extracellular water but did not increase serum albumin or body cell mass while frequent nocturnal hemodialysis yielded no net effect on parameters of nutritional status or body composition.