Nephrol Dial Transplant (2001) 16: 698-700
© 2001 European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association
Editorial Comments
Haemodialysis renal replacement therapy—do we need more research?
Renal Research Institute, New York, USA
Introduction
The answer to the question is in the affirmative for two reasons. The first can be expressed by the cliché ‘knowledge is power’, since the dialysis world certainly needs more power to deal with the unacceptable morbidity and mortality of the population on all forms of dialysis. The second is the fascination with the myriad of individual pathophysiological problems which tantalize with partially proven hypotheses and potential therapeutic successes. In regard to the second reason, there was a time when dialysis was seen only as an imperfect mode of saving lives, but certainly not worthy of research at the highest academic level. Clearly this is no longer the case. A personal list of items requiring research is briefly discussed, with the strong caveat that enumeration by others would be quite different.
International variations in mortality and morbidity
Reaching
Cardiovascular disease
Uraemic toxins
Intradialytic treatment quantitation
Haematocrit
Vascular access
‘Dry weight’
Nutrition
Economic analysis and survival
Notes
References