An interventional study of Twice Weekly Hemodialysis then Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis and Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis then Twice Weekly Hemodialysis in Hemodialysis and Kidney Failure, Chronic, sponsored by Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research. Completed at 3 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 85 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-09-03.
Sponsored by Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other
The study will determine the efficacy of twice weekly hemodialysis in patients with residual kidney function.
Hemodialysis patients who have residual kidney function will undergo two 4-week study (twice weekly versus thrice weekly hemodialysis) using a cross-over design. Blood, urine, and dialysate samples will be collected at the end of each study period to determine adequacy of treatment and to assess uremic solute levels. Participants will complete quality of life questionnaires and cognitive paper tests.
2,085 studies on the registry are indexed under Kidney Failure, Chronic; 260 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 58 is close to the median of 55 across 1,557 interventional studies indexed under Kidney Failure, Chronic.
Browse Kidney Failure, Chronic studies →Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research is the lead sponsor of 51 studies on the registry; 10 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Twice weekly hemodialysis for 4 weeks, then thrice weekly hemodialysis for 4 weeks.
Other: Twice Weekly Hemodialysis then Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis
Thrice weekly hemodialysis for 4 weeks, then twice weekly hemodialysis for 4 weeks.
Other: Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis then Twice Weekly Hemodialysis
Twice weekly hemodialysis for 4 weeks, then thrice weekly hemodialysis for 4 weeks.
Thrice weekly hemodialysis for 4 weeks, then twice weekly hemodialysis for 4 weeks.
QOL: Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL36)
Kidney Disease Quality of Life: Health-related quality of life, with higher scores being better. Minimum is 0, maximum is 100.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Solute Concentration
Plasma concentration of p-cresol sulfate
Time frame: 4 weeks
Symptom
Dialysis Symptom Index: measures symptom burden on a scale of 0 to 150, with higher scores being worse.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Trail B Making Test
Cognitive test: The Trail B Making Test assesses working memory, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, and visual-motor tracking. There are numbers and letters on a page. The participant must connect the number to letter in order. For example, they would start at 1 and draw a line to A, then draw a line to 2, then draw a line to B, then draw a line to 3. The time is recorded in seconds.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Digit Symbol Substitution Test
Cognitive test: Digit Symbol Substitution Test, measured in number correct
Time frame: 4 weeks
| Milestone | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Twice Weekly Hemodialysis |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 15 | 16 |
| Completed | 13 | 13 |
| Not completed | 2 | 3 |
| Withdrew: Received kidney transplant | 1 | 0 |
| Withdrew: Coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) imposed restrictions on research | 1 | 1 |
| Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject | 0 | 1 |
| Withdrew: Hospitalized for infection | 0 | 1 |
| Milestone | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Twice Weekly Hemodialysis |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 13 | 13 |
| Completed | 12 | 13 |
| Not completed | 1 | 0 |
| Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject | 1 | 0 |
Kidney Disease Quality of Life: Health-related quality of life, with higher scores being better. Minimum is 0, maximum is 100.
| score on a scale | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis |
|---|---|---|
| QOL: Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL36) | 74 ± 17 | 72 ± 21 |
Plasma concentration of p-cresol sulfate
| mg/dl | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis |
|---|---|---|
| Solute Concentration | 3.6 (2.5 to 4.6) | 3.6 (2.6 to 4.8) |
Dialysis Symptom Index: measures symptom burden on a scale of 0 to 150, with higher scores being worse.
| score on a scale | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis |
|---|---|---|
| Symptom | 26 ± 26 | 32 ± 31 |
Cognitive test: The Trail B Making Test assesses working memory, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, and visual-motor tracking. There are numbers and letters on a page. The participant must connect the number to letter in order. For example, they would start at 1 and draw a line to A, then draw a line to 2, then draw a line to B, then draw a line to 3. The time is recorded in seconds.
| seconds | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis |
|---|---|---|
| Trail B Making Test | 129 ± 73 | 125 ± 84 |
Cognitive test: Digit Symbol Substitution Test, measured in number correct
| number correct | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis |
|---|---|---|
| Digit Symbol Substitution Test | 51 ± 21 | 51 ± 20 |
Collected over 4 weeks for each intervention. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twice Weekly Hemodialysis | 0/26 (0%) | 0/26 (0%) | 0/26 (0%) |
| Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis | 0/25 (0%) | 0/25 (0%) | 0/25 (0%) |
| Age, Continuous(years) | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Twice Weekly Hemodialysis | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | 61 ± 11 | 59 ± 11 | 60 ± 11 |
| Sex: Female, Male(Participants) | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Twice Weekly Hemodialysis | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| Male | 9 | 12 | 21 |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Twice Weekly Hemodialysis | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 11 | 8 | 19 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Twice Weekly Hemodialysis | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Asian | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Black or African American | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| White | 8 | 11 | 19 |
| More than one race | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Residual kidney urea clearance (Kru)(mL/min) | Twice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis | Thrice Weekly Hemodialysis Then Twice Weekly Hemodialysis | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | 5.5 ± 2.1 | 4.2 ± 1.6 | 4.7 ± 1.9 |
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Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research