Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 14, 2025

Measurement of Tissue Oxygenation Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis
Published on: October 2, 2020
Hemodiafiltration improves red blood cell lifespan in patients with end-stage renal disease
Ying Jiang1, Jiu-Hong Li1, Jun-Feng Luo2
1Department of Nephrology, Nanshan Hospital of Guangdong Medical University (Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Introduction:
Uremic toxin-induced shortening of red blood cell (RBC) lifespan is an important mechanism of anemia in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Conventional hemodialysis does not improve RBC lifespan; the efficacy of hemodiafiltration (HDF) for alleviating RBC lifespan has not yet been evaluated in patients with ESRD.
Methods:
Twenty-three patients with ESRD in maintenance hemodialysis were enrolled. Baseline data for sex, age, dialysis vintage, pre-dialysis hemoglobin (Hb), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), single pool Kt/V (spKt/V), and plasma indophenol sulfate (IS) were collected. RBC lifespans before and after one session of HDF were compared. The resultant differences were subjected to correlational analyses with baseline data.
Results:
RBC lifespan increased from 73 (66, 89) days at baseline to 77 (71, 102) days after a single HDF treatment (p = 0.034). Meanwhile, plasma IS concentration decreased from 113.05 (80.67, 133.05) mg/L to 83.87 (62.98, 96.78) mg/L (p < 0.001). RBC lifespan increases correlated negatively with Hb levels.
Conclusions:
A single HDF treatment improved RBC lifespan in ESRD patients on maintenance hemodialysis, with more severe pre-HDF anemia at baseline being associated with greater increases in RBC lifespan.
Related Concept Videos
Hemodialysis I: Introduction
Extracorporeal Removal of Drugs: Hemoperfusion and Hemofiltration
Extracorporeal Removal of Drugs: Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis
Dialysis
Acute kidney injury develops suddenly and can be caused by pre-renal causes (e.g., hypovolemia, shock), intrinsic renal causes (e.g., acute tubular necrosis), or post-renal causes (e.g., urinary obstruction). In contrast, chronic renal failure progresses gradually over time and is often...
Extracorporeal Removal of Drugs: Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

