Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026
Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
[Effect of oxidative stress in patients with chronic renal failure]
M González Rico1, M J Puchades, R García Ramón
1Servicio de Nefrología del Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia. mgonzalezrico@wanadoo.es
Insights
Hemodialysis treatment improves oxidative stress markers in end-stage renal disease patients, though levels remain below those of healthy individuals. This suggests hemodialysis can partially correct oxidative status in uremic patients.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Nephrology
- Cardiovascular Research
Context:
- Cardiovascular disease is a major concern for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, with traditional risk factors insufficient to explain its high incidence.
- Increased oxidative stress is a key non-traditional risk factor implicated in uremic cardiovascular complications.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the impact of hemodialysis (HD) on oxidative stress markers in patients with end-stage renal disease.
- To assess changes in antioxidant enzyme activities and oxidation products before and after hemodialysis treatment.
Summary:
- Uremic patients exhibited lower antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) and altered glutathione status (increased GSSG/GSH ratio) compared to controls.
- Hemodialysis treatment led to a significant recovery of antioxidant enzyme activities and improved glutathione status, bringing them closer to control levels.
- Levels of oxidation products, malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG), were elevated in uremic patients, particularly before HD, and decreased post-treatment, though not to control levels.
Impact:
- Hemodialysis demonstrates a capacity to partially ameliorate the oxidative stress associated with end-stage renal disease.
- Findings highlight the role of oxidative stress in uremic cardiovascular risk and the potential benefits of hemodialysis in managing this factor.
Background:
Cardiovascular disease remains the single most common cause of excess morbidity and mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and the traditional risk factors can't explain the high incidence of these events. New "non-traditional" risk factors are analysed in uremic patients and the increased oxidative stress is postulated to be an important contributor to uremic cardiovascular risk.
Methods:
In order to evaluate the effects of the hemodialysis treatment, a complete oxidative stress study was performed in fifteen uremic patients. Representative antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), together with oxidized/reduced glutathione ratio (GSSG/GSH) and other oxidation indicators including malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG), were analysed to assess oxidative stress status in normal control volunteers and in uremic patients treated with hemodialysis (HD). In the latter group blood samples were taken prior and after HD to evaluate the effect of the session of HD over the oxidative markers.
Results:
Low levels of antioxidant enzyme activities were observed in the uremic patients as compared with normal control subjects. HD treatment results in a significant recovery of these enzyme activities but remain lower as compared with control values. Levels of GSSG and GSH concentrations were increased and reduced respectively in uremic patients. These differences were even higher before the HD and were reduced upon treatment to levels closer to those observed in controls. MDA levels and 8-oxo-dG levels were also increased in uremic patients with the highest values observed in the pre-treated HD group. Even though HD treatment decreases the levels of oxidation products in mononuclear cells of uremic patients the values of the control group are not reached.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest that hemodialysis by itself could correct the oxidative status in these patients. The possible mechanisms involved in the oxidative stress changes with the hemodialysis treatment will be discussed below.
Related Concept Videos
01:11Renal Failure: Dose Adjustments
Reduced renal clearance and elimination rate are common outcomes of renal impairment. These alterations lead to a prolonged elimination half-life and an altered apparent volume of distribution for drugs. As a result, dosage adjustments are typically necessary to maintain optimal drug levels in the body.
However, dosage adjustments...
01:24Chronic Kidney Disease II: Clinical Manifestations
01:18Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion
01:25Chronic Kidney Disease I: Introduction
01:28Chronic Kidney Disease III: Interprofessional Care
01:30Acute Kidney Injury IV: Diagnostic Studies and Prevention