Climate and volume and blood pressure trends in Taiwanese hemodialysis patients.

We read with interest the recent paper by Hwang et al. [1] from Taiwan describing changes in fluid gain related to seasonal climate change in their HD patients. We have also noted seasonal changes in volume and blood pressure status in the patients treated at our two hospitals, one (Min Shen) situated in the North of Taiwan and the other (Tung Hospital) situated in central Taiwan. During 2007, 496 patients received maintenance HD in the five dialysis clinics associated with our hospitals. As part of the continuous audit of dialysis clinics afPublished online: July 1, 2008