Evaluation of short-term changes in body fluid status by a novel method using a commercially available body-fat analyzer: Observations from maintenance hemodialysis patients

摘要

The recognition and treatment of body fluid retention over its clinical course in chronic heart failure and/or kidney disease is crucial towards delaying or preventing hospitalization and the progression of disease status, improving the quality of life, and reducing related costs [1-3]. A pilot study demonstrated that fluid weight gain in established heart failure patients could be specifically detected using a commercially available weight and body-fat analyzer with bioelectrical impedance analysis [4-6]. Theoretically, body fluid retention decreases impedance against the flow of electric signals, resulting in a lower body-fat percentage (BF%), and the opposite (higher BF%) would be expected during recovery [7, 8]. Whether or not this method could be used to detect very short-term changes in body fluid status is unknown. In the present study, the validity of this method for this purpose was determined by observing the changes in body composition before and after hemodialysis (HD), and correlating changes in the body composition to the plasma refill rate as defined by changes in the hematocrit concentration in a peripheral blood test [9-12].