Journal Watch - RCT
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RCT: Rhythmic Breathing + Acupressure vs. Vapocoolant Spray for HD Needle Pain
A randomized control trial divided 157 patients into five groups to assess pain relief from hemodialysis needles: controls (n=34), rhythmic breathing (n=24), Hugo point acupressure (n=35), breathing + acupressure (n=37) and vapocoolant spray. The control group had mean score of 64.79 on the Visual Analogue Scale; the highest pain level. With rhythmic breathing, the mean score was 37.79. Those who used Hugo point acupressure had mean scores of 33.14. Rythmic breathing + acupressure resulted in mean scores of 28.35, and vapocoolant spray 25.59. All of the interventions significantly reduced pain compared to the controls.
Read the abstract » | (added 2026-01-16)
Tags: RCT, Rhythmic Breathing, Acupressure, Vapocoolant Spray, Needle Pain
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Wanted: A Paradigm Shift from Urea to Sodium Removal
When nephrology icon Zyblut Twardowski talks, we listen! When dialyzors in Seattle in the 1960s got 30 hours a week of dialysis, the mortality rate was 10%. Since then, short treatments—justified by the flawed NCDS study—were driven by the equally flawed notion of Kt/V urea.
Read the abstract » | (added 2018-12-14)
Tags: Kt/V Urea, Mortality Rate, Sodium Removal, Dialysis Quality, NCDS, RCT