[Natural killer cell count in hemodialysis patients]

The patients with chronic renal failure present an immunodeficiency state manifested by prolonged tolerance to allografts, increased incidence of infections and abnormally high incidence of neoplasia. The present study aimed to assess the effect of chronic uraemia and haemodialysis treatment on the natural killer cells (NK cells) count. Peripheral blood NK cells (CD3-, CD16+), total lymphocytes, leukocytes, monocytes and granulocytes of 24 hemodialyzed patients with chronic renal failure and 32 healthy subjects were studied using flow cytometry. In the investigated group of patients with chronic renal failure treated with haemodialysis the count of NK cells (CD3-, CD16+) in the peripheral blood was significantly decreased in comparison to healthy subjects (137 +/- 11 versus 229 +/- 13, p < 0.001) and a significant negative correlation (r = -0.391, p < 0.05) was observed between the duration of haemodialysis treatment and the count of NK cells (CD3-, CD16+).

1) Chronic uraemia and haemodialysis treatment exerts a negative effect on NK cells (CD3-, CD16+) count in the peripheral blood. 2) The count of NK cells (CD3-, CD16+) in the peripheral blood in patients with chronic renal failure treated with haemodialysis could be a prognostic marker of susceptibility to infections and malignancy.