New polymethylmethacrylate membrane, NF-U, improves nutritional status and reduces patient-reported symptoms in older dialysis patients

Abstract

Introduction We previously reported the nutritional advantage of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) membranes to prevent the progression of malnutrition in dialysis patients. In this study, we examined whether a new PMMA dialyzer, NF-U, has advantages to improve the nutritional condition, patient-reported symptoms, and other clinical parameters in older dialysis patients. Methods We selected ten older chronic dialysis patients who were treated with NF-U for improving their worsening nutritional parameters and retrospectively evaluated nutrition and patient-reported symptoms. Patient-reported symptoms were surveyed by our original questionnaire including 20 items of symptom. Results Serum albumin concentration, geriatric nutritional risk index, and percent creatinine generation rate increased from 3.01 ± 0.16 to 3.25 ± 0.17 g/dL, 87.7 ± 5.8 to 91.4 ± 6.2, 100.2 ± 21.6 to 111.9 ± 20.9% at 1 and 4 months after switching to NF-U, respectively. For patient-reported outcomes, fatigue and the total score of patient-reported outcomes were improved after switching to NF-U. Conclusion Our results suggest that NF-U is a good choice for older dialysis patients to ameliorate their nutritional status and patient-reported outcomes.

Polymethylmethacrylate Membrane Dialyzer: Historic but Modern

“…There were no notable differences in nutritional status and PROs; however, when the PROs were compared within each membrane group, remarkable improvement was observed for the NF membrane group, suggesting that the NF membrane could improve PROs. There have been other clinical reports regarding improvement of responses to influenza vaccines by NF membrane [ 36 ] and improvement of nutritional status and PROs, especially dialysis fatigue, for older dialysis patients by the NF membrane [ 9 ].…”

“…PRO improvements will be spotlighted more frequently for future dialysis membranes. There are some reports that the biocompatibilities of dialysis membranes affect PROs such as fatigue [ 9 , 10 ]. We consider that PMMA membranes would contribute to PRO improvements, considering the many reports regarding Filtryzer®.…”