Handbook of Dialysis, 6th Edition Doody's Expert Review Review Questionnaire ISBN: 9781975159436 ISBN-10: 1975159438 Copyright: 2026 Edition: 6th Author: Daugirdas, John T., Blake, Peter, Ing, Todd S., Doody's Expert Review    Score: 96 Doody's Star Rating™ and Doody's Expert Review provide by Doody Enterprises, Inc. Reviewer: Sam Beavin,  MD  (University of Kentucky College of Medicine) Description This pocket-sized reference book covers the theoretical and practical aspects of renal replacement therapy. Its 39 chapters and several additional indices run to just under 800 pages of relatively small font. This sixth edition replaces the previous edition from 2015. Purpose This handbook is intended to serve as a comprehensive guide to all aspects of hemodialysis, including the technical components of ordering and delivery, as well as the scientific principles and research underlying that care. It not only achieves that goal but also covers renal replacement therapy more broadly, including other modalities and related areas of patient care. Audience This book is intended for professionals caring for patients undergoing hemodialysis, and the comprehensive nature of the chapters makes it excellent for anyone needing more than a basic nephrology reference. Features The book is divided into 39 chapters, most of which cover blood-based therapies and peritoneal dialysis. This includes chapters on the physiological principles underlying dialysis and its modeling, the dialysis prescription and its adjustments, and technical aspects such as information on dialysis access and machines. Chapters in this edition show relatively little change from the previous edition since, as the authors note, much of the development in nephrology over the past 10 years has been in the realm of chronic kidney disease prior to dialysis. This edition includes a new chapter on patient-centered outcomes and removes a previous one on sorbent-based dialysis, owing to the discontinuation of that product line. The chapters are uniformly written in an outline style, which allows for easy categorization within complex topics while remaining very readable. There are also numerous illustrations, which are particularly helpful at illustrating physiological concepts and modeling. Assessment This book is unmatched in the field of renal replacement therapies and related topics, unique in its exploration of important theoretical concepts combined with detailed technical information. Many textbooks cover some portion of this field, but none do so with the same depth or clarity. The book includes numerous updates, and its careful attention to details such as product specifications and availability is an excellent example of the aspects that make this handbook so useful. Review Questionnaire Range Question Score 1-10 Are the author's objectives met? 10 1-10 Rate the worthiness of those objectives. 10 1-5 Is this written at an appropriate level? 5 1-5 Is there significant duplication? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 4 1-5 Are there significant omissions? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 5 1-5 Rate the authority of the authors. 5 1-5 Are there sufficient illustrations? 5 1-5 Rate the pedagogic value of the illustrations. 5 1-5 Rate the print quality of the illustrations. 4 1-5 Are there sufficient references? 5 1-5 Rate the currency of the references. 5 1-5 Rate the pertinence of the references. 5 1-5 Rate the helpfulness of the index. 5 1-5 If important in this specialty, rate the physical appearance of the book N/A 1-10 Is this a worthwhile contribution to the field? 10 1-10 If this is a 2nd or later edition, is this new edition needed? 8 ©2026 Doody Enterprises, Inc.