[Short-term dialyses using a conventional hemodialyzer]

1. Twelve patients who were treated twice eight hours a week for at least one year were admitted to a dialysis plan of twice seven hours a week and fourteen patients who were dialysed twice eight hours a week for at least one year were dialysed thrice four hours a week. The patients were dialysed with a spool dialysator with cuprophan membrane of a surface of 1 m2. Blood flow was 200--250 ml/min., dialysate flow 500 ml/min. After 3, 6, 10, and 12 months the clinical picture, hydratation, protein katabolism, degree of anaemia and renal osteodystrophy as well as number of complications, degree of rehabilitation, concentration of the medium-molecular substances and of phenylalanine and the glucose tolerance were compared and the opinion of the patients concerning different types of the plan of dialysis was inquired. 2. The plan of dialysis of thrice four hours a week with a conventional dialysator is sufficient for a good state of the most patients. In none of the parameters investigated by us we could establish noticeable differences between the dialysis plan twice eight hours and twice seven hours and thrice four hours a week. The patients themselves clearly preferred a plan of dialysis of thrice four hours a week. 3. The concentration of medium-molecular substances in the blood is no sufficiently sensitive indicator for the determination of the quality of a permanent dialysis treatment in a good clinical state of the patient.