Hemodialysis with glycerol dialysate

Glycerol has a rate and volume of distribution similar to urea. Thirty-six mM glycerol in the dialysate prevents the fall in serum osmolality but does not decrease symptoms or improve the vascular stability of patients on chronic hemodialysis. We suggest that the benefits of mannitol, sodium and glucose in preventing or reversing symptoms during chronic dialysis are due to their extracellular distribution.