Table 2: Laboratory tests of patients during the study period. ACE I, renin and aldosterone plasma concentrations show significant differences between pre- and post-dialysis and between groups (p (Time) < 0.001 for the 3 molecules, p (Group) < 0.001 for the 3 molecules, p (Interaction) = 0.003 for ACE I and <0.001 for the 2 other molecules).

Variables NBP IH p-value
Hematocrit (%) 32 ± 4 31 ± 2 0.292
Hemoglobin (g/L) 10.6 ± 1.2 10.1 ± 0.7 0.250
Erythropoietin (UI/Kg/week) 65.68 ± 14.4 60.77 ± 8.9 0.556
Alkaline phosphatase (U/L) 90[76.5 – 123.0] 141[100 – 218.5] 0.007
Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (IU/L) 24 [19-27] 25[21.5 - 31.5] 0.403
Parathyroid hormone (pg/mL) 179[127 - 275] 107[71.9 - 188] 0.078
Serum bicarbonate (mmol/L) 22 [20-24] 24 [22-25] 0.183
Serum phosphorus (mmol/L) 1.47[1.22 - 1.87] 1.18[0.96 - 1.96] 0.404
Serum calcium (mmol/L) 2.26 ± 0.15 2.31 ± 0.19 0.448
Urea reduction ratio 0.75 ± 0.06 0.74 ± 0.05 0.851
Creatinine (μmol/L) 281 ± 98 237 ± 66 0.200
ACE I (ng/mL) Pre-dialysis 208.2 ± 36.1 162 ± 34.6 p (Time) < 0.001
p (Group) < 0.001
p (Interaction) = 0.003
Post-dialysis 260.2 ± 42.4 179.3 ± 36.6
Renin (pg/mL) Pre-dialysis 1070.3 ± 324.8 640.4 ± 453.9 p (Time) < 0.001
p (Group) < 0.001
p (Interaction) < 0.001
Post-dialysis 1609.9 ± 431.2 590.2 ± 406.6
Aldosterone (pg/mL) Pre-dialysis 371.9 ± 187.2 477.8 ± 227.8 p (Time) < 0.001
p (Group) < 0.001
p (Interaction) < 0.001
Post-dialysis 1911.3 ± 397.4 618.7 ± 197.8
Na (mmol/L) Pre-dialysis 137 ± 3 141 ± 5 p (Time) < 0.001
p (Group) = 0.635
p (Interaction) = 0.858
Post-dialysis 144 ± 2 144 ± 2

Na: sodium. Data are represented as means ± SD or as median with its interquartile range (IQR = Q1- Q3). For non-repeated measures, comparison between NBP and IH groups was performed with the Student’s t test or the Mann-Whitney U test as appropriate.