Lead Sponsor

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Age

18 - 85 years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

•Subjects age 18 to 85 years
•On thrice-weekly hemodialysis for at least six months
•Clinically stable, adequately dialyzed (single-pool Kt/V \> 1.2), with polysulphone membrane for at least three consecutive months before the study
•Subjects with pre-dialytic systolic blood pressure between 110 and 170 mmHg.
•Subjects with a reduction of systolic blood pressure during hemodialysis equal to or greater than 30 mmHg, with associated symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, dizziness, or anxiety.
•Hypotensive episodes should occur four times or more in four weeks (12 hemodialysis sessions).

•Subjects with intradialytic hypotension that require the use of pharmacological intervention such as midodrine or vasopressin
•Subjects with pre-dialytic systolic blood pressure greater than 170 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure greater than 110 mmHg
•History of myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular event within 3 months
•History of serious hemorrhage (including cerebral hemorrhage) in the past 6 months
•Advanced liver disease
•Ejection fraction less than 30%
•Anticipated live donor kidney transplant
•A history of poor adherence to hemodialysis or medical regimen
•Severe anemia (hemoglobin less than 8 g/dl) requiring blood transfusions
•Use of immunosuppressive drugs within one month before study enrollment
•Active connective tissue disease
•History of acute infections disease within one month before study enrollment
•Inability to provide consent
•Pregnancy