Clinical Experience with Continuously Monitored Fluid Balance in Automatic Hemofiltration

Automatic fluid balancing, as obtained with the hemofiltration machines from Sartorius (Gottingen, West Germany) and Dialysetechnik (Karlsruhe, West Germany), is accurate enough to replace bed scales, which have been necessary in conventional hemodialysis for patients who are confined to beds. Side effects such as hypotension, nausea and muscle cramps during treatment may be reduced with these new machines, compared to conventional methods, provided that the rate of effective fluid withdrawal does not exceed 0.5 L/hr. In particular, the constant weight loss associated with automatic hemofiltration seems to be well tolerated by the patients with fewer side effects.