[Oxidative stress, hemo-incompatibility and complications of long-term dialysis]

Oxidative stress which results from an imbalance between oxidant production and antioxidant defense mechanisms is now a well recognized pathogenesis factor that could be implicated in the hemodialysis (HD)-related pathology. This review focuses on: 1) factors that may be responsible for oxidative stress in HD patients (hemoincompatibility of the dialysis system--hemoreactivity of the membrane and trace amounts of endotoxins- and uremia per se); 2) implication of such phenomenon in long term complications including anemia, amyloidosis, accelerated atherosclerosis and malnutrition and finally and 3) prevention ways consisting in improving the hemocompatibility of the dialysis system and supplementing the deficiency patients with antioxidants.