Hemodialysis in acute renal failure: Does the membrane matter?

Patients who develop hospital-acquired acute renal failure (ARF) that requi re dialytic support have high mortality rates. The potential impact of dial yzer membrane biocompatibility on clinical outcomes in ARF has been a subje ct of ongoing controversy. This article summarizes the clinical trials publ ished to date that have examined the effect of dialyzer membrane biocompati bility on clinical outcomes of patients with ARF who require intermittent h emodialysis. A redirection of research endeavors in the field of dialysis i n ARF is also argued.