Could less dialysis be enough? study tests twice-weekly schedule for kidney patients
NCT ID NCT03874117
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study looked at whether people with kidney failure who still have some kidney function can do well with only two dialysis sessions per week instead of the usual three. Fifty-eight patients each tried both schedules for four weeks. Researchers measured quality of life, symptoms, and cognitive function to compare the two approaches.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- hemodialysis (twice weekly vs thrice weekly)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that some patients with remaining kidney function can safely dialyze less often, improving quality of life.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, short-term study (58 patients, 4 weeks per schedule) and may not prove long-term safety or apply to all dialysis patients.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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58 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jul 2018
- Finished
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May 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 85 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * patients on hemodialysis who have residual kidney function with residual urea clearance (Kru) \>2.5 mL/min. * been on hemodialysis for at least 3 months. * adherence to regular dialysis treatments. Exclusion Criteria: * inability to achieve adequate hemodialysis. * planned revision of hemodialysis vascular access. * hospitalized within the past 2 months.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
San Jose, California, 95128, United States
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Satellite HealthCare
San Jose, California, 95128, United States
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VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Palo Alto, California, 94304, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can mindfulness calm the mind and improve sleep for dialysis patients?