A hospital research team from the Lawson Health Research Institute has found that expanded dialysis can help improve quality of life in chronic kidney disease patients, especially those struggling with traditional dialysis’s side effects. Expanded dialysis is a new treatment method that can remove a broader range of toxins from the body than conventional dialysis. This study was conducted for three months with 28 patients. 

The new dialyzer used in the study has precisely made pores that allow larger-sized toxic chemicals to be filtered from the blood as well while retaining essential molecules such as albumin. The substances that can now be filtered out can cause inflammation, malnutrition, and chronic symptoms like fatigue if left in the body. Traditional dialysis treatments haven’t been as successful at removing these specific chemicals, and patients often report significant side effects. 

One of the study participants with chronic kidney disease had been on dialysis for about five years. He complained of reduced appetite, weakness, and reduced sleep quality previously. He reported feeling better, improved appetite, and improved sleep quality with expanded dialysis. 

With the first phase of this study completed and published in Kidney Medicine, the scientist will move on to the next stage. The next phase will be conducted with 60 dialysis patients for six months of treatments using the new dialyzer. The second phase will be a multicentered clinical study, simultaneously led by Lawson, University of Toronto, and Humber College.