Dinwiddie LC, Frauman AC, Jaques PF, Mauro MA, Hogan SL, Falk RJ
Comparison of two measures for prospective identification of venous stenoses in high risk PTFE grafts
Am Soc Nephrol
J Am Soc Nephrol (abstract) (Sep) 7:1405 1996

Two methods of monitoring access failure via pressures have been proposed: one by Schwab using pressures measured at 200 or 150 ml/min blood flow (VPF), and one by Besarab, measuring intra-access pressures normalized to blood pressure at zero flow (VP0). Importantly, with the Schwab method, VPF is not normalized to mean BP, whereas it is with the Besarab method. VP0/MBP levels of 0.4 or 0.5 are viewed as critical thresholds for impending access failure. The criteria for a positive VPF test was a pressure > 150 mm Hg at a flow of 200 ml/min.

In this paper, VPF and VP0/MBP were measured in 20 patients who were considered at high risk for access failure (how risk was identified was not stated). Nineteen of these were then sent for angiography, and a positive angiographic test was considered a > 50% stenosis.

The number of positive tests by VPF and VP0/MBP were quite different; 5/20 by VPF (e.g., VPF > 150 mm Hg), and 16/20 by VP0/MBP (> 0.4). Of the 16 positive patients by VP0/MBP, 14 had > 50% stenosis by angiography. All 5 of the patients with VPF > 150 mm Hg had > 50% stenoses, but VPF missed 10 patients with angiographic stenosis, whereas VP0/MBP missed only two. The conclusions of the authors are, that VP0/MBP is a better predictor of angiographic stenosis than VPF.

Comment: This is one of many abstracts at this meeting and at last year's ASN suggesting that monitoring VP0/MBP is a better strategy than VPF. VPF is confounded by needle resistance, which is a function of Qb, needle size, and hematocrit/viscosity, and possibly also needle placement. For a practical method of measuring VP0/MBP, see Besarab et al.. (John T. Daugirdas, M.D., University of IL at Chicago)

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Am Soc Nephrol
Basic hemodialysis : Vascular Access: graft/fistula