Section: Application Domains

Hemodialysis

Hemodialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood and is used primarily as an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with kidney failure. Side effects caused by removing too much fluid and/or removing fluid too rapidly include low blood pressure, fatigue, chest pains, leg-cramps, nausea and headaches.

Nephrologists must therefore correctly assess the hydration status in chronic hemodialysis patients and consider fluid overload effects when prescribing dialysis, according to a new study.

The fluid overload biomarker, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is an important component of managing patients with kidney disease. Indeed, it is believed that each dialysis patient will have an ideal or "dry" BNP level which will accurately and reproducibly reflect their optimal fluid status.

The objective of this study is to develop a model for the BNP and the hydratation status using individual information (age, sex, ethnicity, systolic blood pressure, BMI, coronary heart disease history, ...).

The impact will be significant if the method succeeds. Indeed, it will be possible for the nephrologists to use this model for monitoring individually each treatment, in order to avoid risks of hypotension (low BNP) or overweight (high BNP).