Hemodialysis Adequacy in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients: Evaluating Urea Reduction Ratio and Associated Factors in Our Population
Keywords:
adequacy, urea reduction ratio (URR), dialysis, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), body mass index (BMI).Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate hemodialysis adequacy using URR and identify factors influencing it.
METHODOLOGY: This single-centre, cross-sectional, prospective study was conducted at a large hospital in Pakistan from June 2022 to July 2023. Blood samples were taken for hemoglobin, serum albumin, and pre- and post-dialysis blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels. Caloric intake was assessed using a 2-day dietary questionnaire, and BMI was calculated. The Urea Reduction Ratio (URR) was computed using the slow-pump technique, applying the URR formula.
Data were entered into SPSS version 22. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Z-scores and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS: A total of 193 participants were enrolled in the study. Participants' mean (SD) age was 46 (12.9) years. 111 (58%) were male, and 82 (42%) were female. The mean (SD) body mass index (BMI) was 21.6 (4.02) kg/sqM. 63.2% of the study population had a URR > 65%. The mean URR was 69.2 (10). 68 (35.2%) males achieved URR > 65% compared to 54 (27.9%) females (p-value: 0.513). The middle-aged group had the most significant number of patients with URR > 65%, and the old-age group had the fewest. (p-value: 0.00001).
CONCLUSION: Dialysis prescription and age have a statistically significant impact on URR, whereas gender does not.
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