Daily hemodialysis: an update

The interest in daily hemodialysis in the form of short daily hemodialysis and nocturnal hemodialysis has continued to increase over the past few years. A significant number of publications support the evidence for improved outcomes in most of the study areas, including financial benefits. The increased direct cost of the provision of daily hemodialysis seems to be the main obstacle to the wider acceptance of these methods. Convincing data of improved outcomes and evidence of cost efficiency of daily hemodialysis are being generated. These data may increase the interest of the institutional payors as well as of the dialysis industry to create the proper infrastructure for the use of daily hemodialysis. These dialysis regimens promise to have a major impact on the management of end-stage renal disease. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 11:165-171. (C) 2002 Lippincott Williams Wilkins.