ABSTRACT
Fluid Status The fluid status of the patient has a profound influence on blood volume preservation. When the patient is hypervolemic before dialysis, the interstitial compartment is well hydrated and interstitial pressure is relatively high. Therefore, when fluid is removed during dialysis, refill of plasma volume from the interstitium will prevent a major decline in blood volume (2). However, when a patient is hypovolemic before dialysis, the interstitium is fluid depleted, which hampers the shift of fluid to the intravascular compartment. The difference in blood volume preservation between over-and underhydrated patients has been described by several authors and is also well recognized in daily clinical practice (1-4).
