Impacts of Dialysis Adequacy and Intradialytic Hypotension on Changes in Dialysis Recovery Time

Abstract Background: Patient reported long dialysis recovery time (DRT) is common and associated with higher hospitalization and mortality. The goal of our study was to test the hypothesis that hemodialysis (HD) dose and intradialytic hypotension (IDH) rates are associated with dialysis recovery time (DRT). Methods: We analyzed data from adult HD patients who responded to DRT survey ≤180 days from first date of dialysis (FDD) during 2014 to 2017. DRT survey was administered with annual KDQOL survey. DRT survey asks: “How long does it take you to be able to return to your normal activities after your dialysis treatment?” Answers are: <0.5, 0.5-to-1, 1-to-2, 2-to-4, or >4 hours. An adjusted logistic regression model computed odds ratio for increased/maintained longer DRT (increase above DRT >2 hours) in reference to decreased/maintained shorter DRT (decrease below DRT <2 hours, or from DRT >4 hours). Changes in DRT were calculated from incident (≤180 days FDD) to first prevalent (>365-to-≤545 days FDD) and second prevalent (>730-to-≤910 days FDD) years. Results: Among 98616 incident HD patients (age 62.6±14.4 years, 57.8% male) who responded to DRT survey, a higher spKt/V in the incident period was associated with 13.5% (OR=0.865; 95%CI 0.801-to-0.935) lower risk of longer DRT in the first-prevalent year. A higher number of HD treatments with IDH episodes/month in the incident period was associated with a 0.8% (OR=1.008; 95%CI 1.001-to-1.015) and 1.6% (OR=1.016; 95%CI 1.006-to-1.027) higher probability of a longer DRT in the first- and second-prevalent years, respectively. Consistently, an increased in incidence of IDH episodes/months was associated to longer DRT over time. Conclusions: Incident patients who had higher spKt/V and less sessions with IDH episodes had a lower likelihood of longer DRT in first year of HD. Dose optimization strategies with cardiac stability in fluid removal should be tested.