Effect of Cold Hemodialysis on Hemoglobin and Hematocrit in Hemodialysis Patients: A Crossover Clinical Trial Study

One of the common complications of renal failure in hemodialysis patients which has a negative impact on quality of life is anemia. Various studies showed that cold hemodialysis could improve hemodialysis complications such as pruritus, sleep disorders and fatigue. The aim of this study was determine the effect of cold hemodialysis on hemoglobin and hematocrit level in hemodialysis patients. This research was a double-blind crossover randomized clinical trial study. 42 hemodialysis patients were divided into two groups (22 in the first group and 20 in the second group). The first group received standard hemodialysis temperature (fluid 37°C) in the first four weeks and simultaneously the second group received cold hemodialysis (fluid 35°C), in the second phase, four weeks later, the type of hemodialysis was changed in two groups. During the study, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels of patients were measured several times. The results showed that in the first and second groups respectively, 55 and 32 percent of patients were in the age range of 50 - 65 years. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels before the study in the two groups was not statistically significant (P: 0.19). But after the first four weeks, the mean of hemoglobin in the cold and standard hemodialysis were 13.85 vs. 11.9 and hematocrit 43.83 vs. 38.02, respectively and after the second four weeks the average hemoglobin in the cold and standards hemodialysis were 13.57 vs. 11.47, respectively and hematocrit 43.29 vs. 37.18. Crossover outcomes of the groups’ analysis showed that cold hemodialysis significantly increased hemoglobin and hematocrit levels in hemodialysis patients (P < 0.001). The mean of hemoglobin and hematocrit was different between two groups and significantly higher in cold hemodialysis.