A arm (n = 12)

B arm (n = 8)

p-value

Age (years)

61.1 ± 12.6

48.1 ± 16.5

0.640

Sex (male, %)

8.3

25.0

0.537

Underlying disease (%)

Diabetes

60

40

1.000

Hypertension

75

87.5

0.619

Heart disease

41.7

50.0

1.000

Systolic BP (mmHg)

125.0 ± 13.8

128.7 ± 29.9

0.50

Mean BP (mmHg)

66.6 ± 9.8

78.7 ± 16.4

0.62

Dialysis vintage (years)

6.5 ± 3.5

8.1 ± 8.8

0.532

Dry body weight (kg)

54.7 ± 10.8

57.6 ± 12.4

0.511

Laboratory test

Hemoglobin (g/dl)

10.8 ± 0.9

10.6 ± 0.8

1.000

Hematocrit (%)

33.1 ± 3.2

32.0 ± 2.4

0.671

Serum protein (g/dl)

6.7 ± 1.0

6.9 ± 0.4

0.587

Serum albumin (g/dl)

4.1 ± 0.7

3.9 ± 0.2

0.560

Blood urea nitrogen (mg/dl)

72.8 ± 15.1

57.7 ± 12.3

0.032

Serum creatinine (mg/dl)

10.2 ± 1.31

9.9 ± 1.9

0.440

Dialysis dose (Kt/V)

1.6 ± 0.2

1.5 ± 0.2

0.280

Urea reduction rate (URR)

74.6 ± 4.3

72.5 ± 5.2

0.247