The aim of this work was to evaluate the short-term fractal index (alpha(1) ) of heart rate variability (HRV) in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients by identifying the effects of orthostatism and hemodialysis (HD), and by evaluating the correlation between alpha(1) and the mean RR interval from sinus beats (meanNN). HRV time series were derived from ECG data of 19 CRF patients and 20 age-matched healthy subjects obtained at supine and orthostatic positions (lasting 5 min each). Data from CRF patients were collected before and after HD. alpha(1) was calculated from each time series and compared by analysis of variance. Pearson\'s correlations between meanNN and alpha(1) were calculated using the data from both positions by considering three groups: healthy subjects, CRF before HD and CRF after HD. At supine position, alpha(1) of CRF patients after HD (1.17 +/- 0.30) was larger (P < 0.05) than in healthy subjects (0.89 +/- 0.28) but not before HD (1.10 +/- 0.34). alpha(1) increased (P < 0.05) in response to orthostatism in healthy subjects (1.29 +/- 0.26) and CRF patients after HD (1.34 +/- 0.31), but not before HD (1.25 +/- 0.37). Whereas alpha(1) was correlated (P < 0.05) with the meanNN of healthy subjects (r = -0.562) and CRF patients after HD (r = -0.388), no significance in CRF patients before HD was identified (r = 0.003). Multiple regression analysis confirmed that alpha(1) was mainly predicted by the orthostatic position (in all groups) and meanNN (healthy subjects and patients after HD), showing no association with the renal disease condition in itself. In conclusion, as in healthy subjects, alpha(1) of CRF patients correlates with meanNN after HD (indicating a more irregular-like HRV behavior at slower heart rates). This suggests that CRF patients with stable blood pressure preserve a regulatory adaptability despite a shifted setting point of the heart period (i.e., higher heart rate) in comparison with healthy subjects.