Use of small doses of furosemide in chronic kidney disease patients with residual renal function undergoing hemodialysis

Abstract

Background: The objective of the present study was to verify whether chronic renal patients on hemodialysis (HD) with residual diuresis who were using small doses of furosemide present different levels of urinary volume and sodium excretion compared to patients with residual diuresis who do not use this drug.

Methods: We studied 19 chronic renal patients on HD who presented any level of residual diuresis. Urine was collected during the 24-h interdialytic period, and physical examinations and blood sampling took place immediately before the start of HD. Patients were divided into two groups: the diuretic group (DG, n = 10), in which patients had been using 40 mg of furosemide for at least 3 months, and the non-diuretic group (NDG, n = 9), in which patients used no diuretics.

Results: Although both groups presented the same average glomerular filtration rate (p > 0.05) and time in dialysis (p > 0.05) the DG presented an average of twice the urinary volume in 24 h (1142 ± 184 vs. 453 ± 135 ml/24 h, respectively; p = 0.008) and double the total excreted sodium mass compared to patients in the NDG (112 ± 22.4 vs. 45.2 ± 16.0 mEq/24 h, respectively; p = 0.02).

Conclusion: The results of this study have shown that chronic use of small doses of furosemide in chronic renal patients with residual diuresis could increase urinary volume and sodium excretion compared to patients who did not use this drug.