Table 2 Patient demographics of 603 dialysis patients, divided into three groups depending on whether systolic blood pressure (SBP) fell by 20 mmHg or greater (group 1), fell by less than 20 mmHg or increased by less than 10 mmHg (group 2), or increased by more than 10 mmHg (group 3)

Number of patients

187

301

115

Male (%)

106 (56.7)

182 (60.5)

79 (68.7)

Age years

62.9 ± 14.3

64.6 ± 17.4

66.5 ± 16.6

Diabetic (%)

94 (50.3)

122 (40.5)

53 (46.1)

White ethnicity (%)

81 (43.3)

123 (40.9)

54 (47.0)

Vintage months

34.7(15.7–68.6)

32.9(14–71.3)

27.2(9.2–54.9)

Frailty

4 (3–5)

4 (3–5)

4 (3–5)

Comorbidity grade

2 (1–2)

1 (1–2)

1 (1–2)

Distress thermometer

4.0 (1.0–6.0)

4.0 (1.0–6.0)

3.0 (0–6.0)

Pre-dialysis weight kg

77.1 ± 19.6

72.5 ± 16.4

72.0 ± 18.8*

Pre-dialysis systolic blood pressure mmHg

159.4 ± 20.5

142.1 ± 26.2***

130.6 ± 23.1***

Dialysis session time hours

3.79 ± 0.50

3.60 ± 0.50*

3.72 ± 0.50

% weight loss

2.5 ± 1.1

2.1 ± 1.4*

2.0 ± 1.3*

Ultrafiltration rate ml/kg/h

4.4 ± 0.7

4.5 ± 0.7

4.4 ± 0.7

Serum minus dialysate sodium mmol/L

2.5(0–4)

2(− 1 to 4)

2 (− 1 to 4)

Dialyzer surface area m2

2.0 ± 0.2

1.9 ± 0.3*

1.9 ± 0.3

Urea reduction ratio %

72.9 ± 9.2

72.9 ± 9.6

73.4 ± 7.8

Haematocrit

0.349 ± 0.053

0.338 ± 0.046*

0.335 ± 0.044*

Serum albumin g/L

38.9 ± 4.3

38.2 ± 4.4

38.0 ± 4.8

C reactive protein mg/L

6 (3–11)

5 (2–11)

6 (2–12)

Blood glucose mmol/L

6.2 (5.2–8.0)

4.5 (5.4–8.0)

6.7 (5.8–8.2)

N terminal brain natriuretic peptide ng/L

3599 (1625–12381)

3734 (1580–13958)

3581 (1649–8528)