Predialysis Serum Sodium Level, Dialysate Sodium, and Mortality in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS)

Lower serum sodium levels are associated with certain hemodialysis patient characteristics and higher adjusted risk of death. The lower mortality observed in our adjusted analyses in patients with serum sodium levels <137 mEq/L dialyzed against dialysate sodium prescriptions >140 mEq/L is intriguing, may be related to intradialytic cardiovascular stability, and deserves further study.