2007年VOA标准英语-Home Dialysis Proves Effective for Some Kidney

By Carol Pearson
Washington
19 September 2007
 

More people worldwide are suffering from advanced kidney disease. These patients normally go to medical clinics three times a week to have their blood cleansed² with a dialysis machine.  But some doctors are experimenting with home dialysis as another option.  VOA's Carol Pearson reports.

At kidney dialysis centers like this, machines do what healthy kidneys do:  cleanse¹ people's blood.  Kidney patients on dialysis spend 12 hours a week at one of these centers.  But what if they could do it at home? 

A study at the University of Calgary in Canada compared a small group of patients who receive conventional dialysis to patients who put themselves on dialysis overnight with bedside machines.  The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In patients with kidney disease, it is not just the kidney that is in trouble. These patients are also at risk for heart attack, stroke and hardening of the arteries³.

Dr. Bruce Culleton is one of the lead researchers. "This new type of dialysis reduces the negative effects of kidney disease on the heart, and in doing so, we believe this reduces the risk for future heart attack, heart failure and sudden death."

That may be due to the fact that patients who use home dialysis are younger and slightly healthier than those who go to a center. But Dr. Culleton says there are other benefits as well. "Kidney patients are told to restrict their fluid intake⁴ on a daily basis, and they're also told to restrict their fruits as well as their protein, and when you're on nocturnal dialysis, or nighttime dialysis, all those restrictions⁵ disappear."

"I remember the first time I had an orange after not having eaten one for about four years.  It was unbelievable," says Catherine O'Meara, who has been on nighttime dialysis for a year. "You have a lot more energy and it frees up your whole day to be able to do whatever you want during the day and you don't have the same bouts⁶ of nausea⁷ that you do with the other types of dialysis."

But there are some concerns about expense and safety.  Kidney transplants are less expensive than home dialysis, the machinery⁸ has to be carefully maintained and patients have to be carefully trained.

Right now, fewer than 500 people worldwide are on home dialysis.  But it may eventually play a greater role in helping⁹ people with kidney disease lead more normal lives.

1 cleanse   

vt.使清洁，使纯洁，清洗

参考例句：

• Health experts are trying to cleanse the air in cities. 卫生专家们正设法净化城市里的空气。
• Fresh fruit juices can also cleanse your body and reduce dark circles.新鲜果汁同样可以清洁你的身体,并对黑眼圈同样有抑制作用。

2 cleansed   

弄干净，清洗( cleanse的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The nurse cleansed the wound before stitching it. 护士先把伤口弄干净后才把它缝合。
• The notorious Hell Row was burned down in a fire, and much dirt was cleansed away. 臭名远场的阎王路已在一场大火中化为乌有，许多焦土灰烬被清除一空。

3 arteries   

n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道

参考例句：

• Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 intake   

n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口

参考例句：

• Reduce your salt intake.减少盐的摄入量。
• There was a horrified intake of breath from every child.所有的孩子都害怕地倒抽了一口凉气。

5 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

6 bouts   

n.拳击（或摔跤）比赛( bout的名词复数 )；一段（工作）；（尤指坏事的）一通；（疾病的）发作

参考例句：

• For much of his life he suffered from recurrent bouts of depression. 他的大半辈子反复发作抑郁症。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was one of fistiana's most famous championship bouts. 这是拳击界最有名的冠军赛之一。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 nausea   

n.作呕，恶心；极端的憎恶(或厌恶)

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕期常有恶心的现象。
• He experienced nausea after eating octopus.吃了章鱼后他感到恶心。

8 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。