The clinical efficiency of biofiltration (BF) was evaluated in six
hemodialysis patients with poor clinical tolerance for standard
hemodialysis. Three were adults (mean age 34 years, mean
body weight 67 kg) and three adolescents (mean age 17 years, mean
body weight 38 kg). Mean maintenance
hemodialysis time was 90.5 months (range 49-132). BF treatments lasted three hours in all cases, for a total of nine hours weekly, with AN69 S membranes and infusion of 3 liters of HCO3
solution (100 mEq/l for the adults, 80 mEq/l for the adolescents). We recorded intra- and inter-dialytic symptoms daily, hematological values and
acid-base status monthly. Multimodality evoked potentials were recorded after 3 and 9 months. Biochemical values reached a steady state 9 months from the beginning of the study,
metabolic acidosis was corrected more efficiently in both groups at the end of dialysis, but only in the adult patients, were pre-dialysis plasma
bicarbonates within normal limits. A clear drop in the number of episodes of intradialytic
hypotension was noticed in both groups, but the adolescent patients' tolerance for dialysis did not improve. In conclusion our data show that in adult patients with poor tolerance BF offers a dependable alternative to standard
hemodialysis, and the length of treatment can be reduced.