Median values of the simulated fluid flows between vascular and interstitial space during HD.

<p>Line with squares: net filtration through pores; line with diamonds: lymphatic flow; dot and dash line: large pores; continuous line: small pores; dashed line: ultrasmall pores.</p

Characteristics of the patients measured before each HD session expressed as median [quartiles].

<p>Characteristics of the patients measured before each HD session expressed as median [quartiles].</p

Diffusive and convective protein transport.

<p>Diffusive flow (continuous line) and convective flow (dashed line) through large pores (top panel), small pores with radius 45 Å, and small pores with radius 55 Å (bottom panels). Note the different scale of the vertical axes in the upper graph.</p

Protein transport with different small pores radii.

<p>Total albumin flow across large pores (continuous line) and small pores (dashed line). Left panel) small pores radius 45 Å. Right panel) small pores radius 55 Å.</p

General structure of the two-compartments model.

<p>Plasma and interstitial compartments are separated by the porous capillary membrane, in which 3 types of pores are present, LP, SP, UP (large, small and ultrasmall pores). Bi-directional transport of fluid and proteins happens across the membrane through the pore system (but UP are not permeable to proteins), and is complemented by a reabsorption of fluid and solute through the lymphatic vessels. Water is removed from vascular compartment by the HD machine.</p

Median values of the simulated protein flows between vascular and interstitial spaces during HD.

<p>Line with squares: net flow through pores; line with diamonds: lymphatic flow; dot and dash line: convection through large pores; continuous line: convection through small pores; dashed line: total diffusion. * = p < 0.05 for HD1 vs. HD3.</p

Median values of fluid flow through small pores calculated for different versions of the model.

<p>Continuous line: baseline model (r_SP: 45Å, α_SP: 0.6, R₀: 0.4, LS: 0.4); line with squares: r_SP 55Å; dashed line: α_SP 0.8; dot and dash line: R₀ 0.6; dotted line: LS = 1.0. * = p < 0.01 against baseline value (only initial and final points tested).</p

Information on the samples of patients.

<p>Age and vintage values are shown as median (range). No statistical differences were found in the parameters described.</p

Effects of changing R₀.

<p>Left panel) linear correlation between different values of R₀ and calculated capillary hydraulic pressure. Median values of P_c (continuous line) and quartiles (dotted lines). Right panel) values of lymphatic flow obtained with different R₀ (dashed lines), compared to the total refilling flow (line with squares).</p

Median values and quartiles of several parameters for different versions of the model.

<p>Parameters for the baseline model were: r_SP = 45Å, α_SP = 0.6, R₀ = 0.4, LS = 0.4. Legend: α08) α_SP = 0.8; r55) SP radius = 55 Å; R06) initial C_i/C_p ratio = 0.6; LS1) lymphatic sensitivity = 1.0. * = p < 0.05 vs. baseline. Only HD1 data are shown.</p