Analysis of the optical concentration curve to detect access recirculation

The optical blood volume curve sometimes presents either a positive or a negative rapid and reversible variation (spike) during the step of the dialysate conductivity, automatically set by the monitor for the ionic dialysance (ID) measurement. We studied whether this feature was in relation with access recirculation. Firstly, we studied if the manoeuvre of reversed position of the blood lines created the same feature in the blood volume curve. Secondly, two medical teams systematically checked for the presence of spikes and measured the access recirculation by way of an ultrasound dilution technique. The manoeuvre of reversed position of the blood lines invariably reproduced the same feature on the curve of the optical blood volume measurement in case of a recirculation greater than 20%. In the normal position of the blood lines, the 16 patients with an access recirculation greater than 20% had spikes. Spikes during ID measurement were not constant for an access recirculation between 10 and 20% and did not occur for an access recirculation of less than 10% or an undetectable one. The special spike of the optical blood volume curve occurring during the ID measurement clearly detects access recirculation. The specificity is of 100% when this modification is present all along the dialysis session for all the ID measurements and the sensitivity is 100% when the access recirculation is greater than 20%.