Dialysis, Other Procedures Are Safe in Combination
The combination therapy of dialysis and apheresis is a safe, effective, and time-saving option for patients on dialysis who require additional therapies, according to a recent study.
Findings were presented on August 28, 2017, by Dr Ghodrat Siami at the 2nd Annual Kidney Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Combination therapy can be beneficial for dialysis patients who require another extracorporeal therapy, like plasmapheresis.
In order to assess the safety, efficacy, and potential benefits of combination therapy in patients on dialysis, Dr Siami and colleagues performed several procedures in combination with dialysis: cryofiltration apheresis on patients with cryoglobulinemia, low-density lipoprotein apheresis on patients with cardiovascular and coronary artery diseases, immunoabsorption to remove any immune complexes, and plasma purification and whole blood purification for toxicology.
Results indicated that each procedure was safe and effective when performed in combination with dialysis. Typically, the researchers noted, hemodialysis lasts 4 hours and apheresis lasts 3.5 hours when performed separately, for a total of 7.5 hours. However, when performed as a combination therapy, both procedures only require 4 hours to complete.
“Both procedures take only 4 hours, not 7.5 hours,” the researchers concluded. “Patients and dialysis nurses do not need to be on the machine/working almost all day. This will be less tiring and more acceptable for patients and nurses. The cost will be lower compared to doing them separately.”
—Christina Vogt
Reference:
Siami G. Dialysis patients requiring combination therapy during dialysis. Paper presented at: 2nd Annual Kidney Congress; August 28-30, 2017. Philadelphia, PA. http://kidney.conferenceseries.com/abstract/2017/dialysis-patients-requiring-combination-therapy-during-dialysis.