4% to 95.3% in arteriovenous fistula care, 70% to 100% in temporary HD catheter care. The confidence rate increased from 17% to 69%. The rate of stress impact decreased from 100% to 78%. Conclusion: A systemic care-giver oriented educational program indeed improved the quality of care in vascular fistula in HD patients. Moreover, the psychological benefit was also enhanced via educational program. ANDO KATSUNOBU1, UCHIDA TAKAYUKI1, KOFUJI SEIYA1, HIGUCHI TSUKASA1, OCHIAI RINA1, MOMOSE NAOKI1, MIYAZAWA HARUHISA2, ITO KIYONORI2, UEDA YUICHIRO2, KAKU YOSHIO2, HIRAI KEIJI2, HOSHINO TARO2, MORI HONAMI2, YOSHIDA IZUMI2, OOKAWARA SUSUMU2, TABEI KAORU2 1Department of Clinical Engineering,

Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University; 2Division of Nephrology, First Department of Integrated selleck chemicals Medicine, Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University Introduction: Measuring the existence of vascular access recirculation (VAR) in hemodialysis (HD) patients is necessary to accurately evaluate HD efficiency. However, methods recommended for detecting VAR including urea method, are so complicated, and therefore, they cannot be performed as a routine work in clinical setting. Recently, we reported to develop a new method for measuring the rate of VAR employing blood volume monitor (Nikkiso

Co., Ltd.) (Yoshida I et al. Ther Apher Dial 2011; 15: 319–326). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the frequency of VAR, blood flow dependency, and

influences of postural change, click here in particular from supine to lateral position toward the side of internal shunting. Methods: A total of 164 HD patients (113 males and 51 females, mean age 67.0 ± 11.1 years, HD duration 83 ± 193 months.), who had undergone HD in our dialysis center from January 2007 to December 2012, were all evaluated the existence of VAR. The measurement, which was started by simply touching the key on the dialysis machine, was automatically performed with a dilution method using the marker produced by the rapid ultrafiltration, and these results did not depend on the proficiency of the operator. In addition to manual operation, we can freely and automatically set up the equipment including measurement interval and frequency. Results: VAR was recognized in 55 patients (33.5%). In 14 patients that were measured before and after postural change from supine to lateral position, VAR appeared in 6 patients after postural change. Regarding the relationship between VAR and blood flow dependency, VAR rapidly disappeared after lowering blood flow in 13 of 18 patients with VAR. On the other hand, VAR appeared after increasing blood flow in 23 of 77 patients without VAR at usual blood flow. Conclusion: VAR was frequently recognized by causing postural change, and blood flow dependency which might be associated with internal shunting insufficiency. We should pay attention to the existence of VAR for accurately evaluating HD efficiency.