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IDWG, salt and water – an audit of dialysis staff. British Journal of Renal Medicine.

Abstract

Our haemodialysis service comprises two teaching hospital-based centres and six satellite units, which merged some years ago. The teaching hospitals were traditionally managed by separate groups of dietitians and dialysis staff. Consequently, there were differences in practice within the service, including the methods used to determine an acceptable interdialytic weight gain (IDWG). High IDWG is regarded as a negative factor due to associated intradialytic hypotension, interdialytic hypertension and cardiovascular disease.1 As such, patients with excessive IDWG are frequently advised to limit their daily fluid intake and may be encouraged to reduce their salt intake because of the association between salt intake and thirst.2 Different members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) act as advisors in this area. This may lead to confusion and non-compliance if the information is conflicting or provided in a negative manner.3 We undertook an audit throughout the haemodialysis service to standardise the advice given to patients. This article reports the results of a questionnaire used to determine how staff respond to excessive IDWG. It also examined their knowledge of the salt and fluid content of common foods

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