What could potentially lead to a falsely decreased Kt/V value?

A falsely decreased Kt/V value is primarily influenced by the accuracy of the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) samples collected before and after dialysis. When the pre-treatment BUN sample is diluted with saline, it can lead to an artificially low reading of the urea concentration. This diluted BUN value does not accurately reflect the actual toxic waste levels in the blood before the dialysis process begins, which directly affects the calculation of Kt/V.

Kt/V is a key measurement used to assess the adequacy of dialysis by relating the amount of urea removed during treatment to the volume of distribution of urea in the body. If the initial BUN level is compromised due to dilution, the derived Kt/V value will not provide an accurate representation of the dialysis effectiveness, thus presenting a falsely low result. This makes it crucial to ensure that the BUN samples remain undiluted and accurately represent the patient's condition prior to treatment.