Our research aims to establish the effectiveness of haemodialysis versus haemodiafiltration in the treatment of kidney disease.

End stage kidney disease affects around 65,000 people in the UK. Almost half of these people will have blood cleaning treatment known as haemodialysis at a hospital.

The addition of filtration (the removal and replacement of fluid) to regular haemodialysis is known as haemodiafiltration. This does not change the dialysis procedure as far as the patient is concerned - it is still 4 hours 3 times a week, it just requires change in equipment and nurse practice.

By removing toxins more effectively, haemodiafiltration may improve survival, infection rates and quality of life of patients.

H4RT is a non-blinded Randomised Controlled Trial comparing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of high-volume HDF compared with high-flux HD in the treatment of end stage kidney disease. 

H4RT is now closed to recruitment and in follow-up.

For further information about this research, please contact:

Prof Fergus Caskey- Trial Chief Investigator, Professor of Renal Medicine (University of Bristol) and Honorary Consultant Nephrologist (North Bristol NHS Trust)

Dr Sunita Procter - Trial Manager

The study is funded by NIHR Health Technology Assessment.