Intensive, at-home dialysis has better survival rates than going to a clinic

A new, observational study by Lawson Health Research Institute indicates that patients with end-stage renal disease could increase their chances of survival by undergoing intensive dialysis at home rather than conventional dialysis in clinics. In addition to increased survival rates, patients who underwent intensive dialysis had better blood pressure results and biochemical test values. Intensive dialysis consists of eight hours of treatment, three to seven nights a week, while conventional dialysis is usually conducted for less than five hours, three days per week, in a clinic. “Strategies to improve survival for persons with end-stage renal disease are needed, and more intensive dialysis represents one of the more promising options that had emerged in the last two decades,” Gihad Nesrallah, who led the study, said. “We think that patients may wish to seriously consider intensive hemodialysis where possible.”