Intradialytic hypertension prevalence and predictive factors: A single centre study

Intradialytic hypertension (IDH) is associated with significant vascular and cardiac adverse outcomes.

This study was performed to know the prevalence and factors predicting IDH.

A single-center cross-sectional observational study at a tertiary care hospital. After ethics committee approval and informed consent, all patients over 18 years on twice weekly hemodialysis were included, those on peritoneal dialysis and acute kidney injury excluded. Primary outcome was prevalence of IDH based on three definitions and secondary outcome was predictive factors. IDH was defined as ≥10 mm Hg surge in systolic blood pressure (SBP) between pre-and postdialysis in 4 of 6 successive sessions or >15 mm Hg rise in mean arterial pressure (MAP) between start and end of dialysis or symptomatic rise in blood pressure requiring intervention. SBP and MAP were measured on standardized monitors before, hourly and 30 minutes post dialysis.

Of 136 patients, prevalence of intra-dialytic hypertension was 78/136 (57%), 33/136 (24%), 15/136 (11%) based on systolic rise, rise in MAP and symptomatic rise in BP respectively. Among those with systolic rise, diabetes mellitus (P= 0.03), undernourishment (P=0.03), inter-dialytic weight gain >3 kg (P< 0.001) and dialysis vintage > 3 years (P< 0.001) were significantly associated with IDH.

IDH prevalence varied from 11 to 57% with different definitions. Diabetes mellitus, under nutrition, inter-dialytic weight gain >3 kg and dialysis vintage >3 years predicted IDH.