Hemodialysis in acute renal failure: does the membrane matter?

Patients who develop hospital-acquired acute renal failure (ARF) that require dialytic support have high mortality rates. The potential impact of dialyzer membrane biocompatibility on clinical outcomes in ARF has been a subject of ongoing controversy. This article summarizes the clinical trials published to date that have examined the effect of dialyzer membrane biocompatibility on clinical outcomes of patients with ARF who require intermittent hemodialysis. A redirection of research endeavors in the field of dialysis in ARF is also argued.