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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Quantification of Hypopigmentation Activity In Vitro
Published on: March 6, 2019
The impact of dialysis modality on skin hyperpigmentation in haemodialysis patients
Sung Jin Moon1, Dong Ki Kim, Jae Hyun Chang
1Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
Background:
Skin hyperpigmentation in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients has been attributed to the accumulation of middle-molecular-weight (MMW) substances. Although an MMW mechanism suggests that hyperpigmentation may be improved by high-flux haemodialysis (HF-HD) and haemodiafiltration (HDF), this possibility has not been explored. In the present study, we investigated the impact of different dialysis modalities on skin colour in HD patients.
Methods:
Eighty-two ESRD patients on HD were divided into low-flux HD (LF-HD), HF-HD and HDF groups. The melanin index (MI) and erythema index (EI) of the abdomen and the flexor side of the forearm (non-sun-exposed areas) and the forehead (sun-exposed area) were determined by using a narrow-band reflectance spectrophotometer at baseline and after 12 months.
Results:
Even though absolute values of baseline and follow-up MI and EI of the three sites were comparable among the three groups, forehead MI and EI were significantly decreased after 12 months in the HDF group (P < 0.05). In addition, the change in forehead MI was significantly greater in the HDF than in the LF-HD group (-1.0 +/- 2.4% versus 0.3 +/- 1.6%, P < 0.05). Moreover, beta(2)-microglobulin reduction rates were negatively correlated with both changes in forehead MI (P < 0.01) and EI (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Skin colour of sun-exposed areas was signi- ficantly decreased in ESRD patients receiving HDF therapy, suggesting that enhanced removal of MMW substances by convection may prevent or reduce hyperpigmentation in HD patients.
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