Oxidative stress in haemodialysis: immediate changes caused by passage of blood through the dialyser

Oxygen free radicals have been implicated in the long-term complications of maintenance haemodialysis. Studies that have probed into the mechanisms of oxygen radical production have implicated the bio-incompatibility of dialysis membranes. Changes between the arterial (inlet) and venous (outlet) points of a dialyser may give a better picture of blood membrane interaction. There are very few studies on changes across the dialyser. Hence, it was planned to study the immediate changes that occur due to passage of blood through the dialyser. Changes between the arterial and venous ends of the dialyser after 1 h of dialysis were studied in four combinations of dialysate and membrane. There was a significant decrease in plasma vitamin E concentrations in all the groups during first-use dialysis. This was not observed with re-use dialysis. A decrease in plasma lipid peroxides was also observed in all the groups with both first and re-use dialysis. There was no significant difference in the parameters studied among the four types of dialysis. A less severe, reactive oxygen radical generation was observed with re-use of membranes.