Fluid Intake with Phosphate Binders Quantified

ORLANDO, Fla.—The daily fluid intake with phosphate binder (PB) pills accounts for a significant portion of the daily fluid restriction in hemodialysis (HD) patients, data suggest.

Researchers at Fresenius Medical Care North America in Waltham, Mass., enrolled 41 HD patients, 37 of whom completed the study. Their mean total daily pill number was 14.6 (range 6-33) and the mean daily PB pill number was 8.4 (range 1-21). The mean daily fluid volume ingested with PB pills was 292 mL (range 46-784 mL), the investigators reported here at the National Kidney Foundation’s 2010 Spring Clinical Meetings. This amount of liquid translates into 29% of a 1-liter daily fluid restriction.

In addition, the mean fluid volume ingested per PB pill was 39.5 mL (range 6.5-172 mL). In most patients, the amount of fluid ingested increased with the number of PB pills.

Over 60% of patients ingested more than 20% of their daily fluid restriction with PB pills.