Long‐Term Results of Dialysis Therapy with a Highly Permeable Membrane

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Abstract
A 5-yr study of short-term dialysis using highly permeable polyacrylonitrile membrane AN 69 was started in March 1973 to compare the effects of AN 69 and Cuprophan membrane (CM). The time of dialysis was calculated for each patient on the basis of vitamin B12 clearance of the dialyzer and the residual glomerular filtration rate. For the study, 101 patients (38,555 dialysis sessions) who were dialyzed for > 6 mo. were selected. They were divided into 3 groups: group 1 (31) patients were treated with AN 69 only; group 2 (31) with CM; group 3 (39) with the CM and then with AN 69. Patients treated with AN 69 had higher levels of plasma urea, but no particular metabolic disturbances were observed. The dialysis sessions were significantly better tolerated with AN 69 than with CM; the main advantage of using AN 69 was the shortening of dialysis time. The duration of dialysis was 9.5 .+-. 0.2 h/wk with AN 69 and 16.4 .+-. 0.2 h/wk with CM. Shortening of dialysis time permitted better social rehabilitation of the patients. The shorter dialysis was not associated with any recognizable side effects that could be demonstrated by routine clinical and biological analysis.