The effects of a home-based care model on fluid load in hemodialysis patients

Background: Fluid management in hemodialysis patients is critical, but there are no optimal care protocols. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a home-based care model on the fluid loads in patients undergoing sustained hemodialysis. Methods: This is a single-center, randomized, controlled clinical study. 124 patients who underwent maintenance hemodialysis were randomized into an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG) (n=62 for each group). The EG underwent a home-based care model, and the CG was cared for using a routine nursing model. They were compared in terms of their blood pressure, BMI, pulse wave velocity (PWV), and N-terminal (NT)-pro hormone BNP (NT-proBNP) levels before the nursing and at 12 months of follow-up. Results: There was no significant difference in the baseline data between the two groups (P>0.05). At 12 months of intervention, the EG had better systolic blood pressure (139 +/- 9 mmHg vs. 144 +/- 13 mmHg, P=0.04) and NT-proBNP levels (6148 pg/ml vs. 8552 pg/ml, P=0.01) than the CG. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of BMI, DBP or PWV or in their adverse event rates. Conclusion: The home-based care model is beneficial for fluid management in hemodialysis patients.