Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Detection of Cell-Free DNA in Blood Plasma Samples of Cancer Patients
Published on: September 9, 2020
Plasma cell-free DNA levels in children on peritoneal dialysis
1Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey. ozanozkaya@yahoo.com
Insights
Children undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) show elevated cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels compared to healthy controls. This finding suggests cfDNA may be a biomarker in pediatric PD patients, though further research is needed.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is elevated in various conditions, including cancer and autoimmune disorders.
- Previous studies noted increased cfDNA during hemodialysis, but data in pediatric peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels in children undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD).
Main Methods:
- Plasma cfDNA was quantified using real-time quantitative PCR for the beta-globin gene.
- The study included 21 children on PD and 21 healthy children.
Main Results:
- Children on PD exhibited significantly higher median plasma cfDNA concentrations (2,205 genome-equivalents/ml) than healthy controls (1,033 genome-equivalents/ml).
- A significant positive correlation was found between C-reactive protein levels and plasma cfDNA concentrations in PD patients.
Conclusions:
- This study is the first to demonstrate elevated cfDNA levels in children on PD treatment.
- The underlying mechanisms and clinical significance of increased cfDNA in pediatric PD patients require further investigation.
Background/Aims:
Plasma levels of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) are elevated in various clinical conditions including cancer, stroke, trauma, myocardial infarction, autoimmune disorders, and pregnancy-associated complications. Previously, increased cfDNA levels were reported during hemodialysis. However, there is limited data regarding cfDNA levels in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of cfDNA in children on PD.
Methods:
Twenty-one children on PD (median age: 12; range: 4-18 years) and 21 healthy children (median age: 10; range: 6-16 years) were enrolled into the study. Plasma cfDNA was measured using a real-time quantitative PCR for the beta-globin gene.
Results:
The median concentrations of cfDNA in the plasma of PD patients and healthy controls were 2,205 genome-equivalents/ml of plasma (range: 39-5,845) and 1,033 genome-equivalents/ml of plasma (range: 254-5,116), respectively (p = 0.026). A significant positive correlation was observed between C-reactive protein levels and plasma cfDNA levels (r: 0.52, p < 0.0001).
Conclusion:
Our data have demonstrated for the first time that cfDNA is increased in children on PD treatment. However, the mechanism by which the levels of cfDNA is increased and the clinical significance of this finding in PD patients is unclear. Further studies are warranted to clarify the precise mechanism and clinical significance of elevated cfDNA in children on PD.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Peritoneal Dialysis II: Peritoneal Dialysis Systems and Complications
Peritoneal Dialysis I: Introduction and Procedure
Peritoneal Dialysis III: Nursing Management
Extracorporeal Removal of Drugs: Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis
Drug Dosing in Renal Diseases: Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate Based on Serum Creatinine Concentration
Drug Dosing in Renal Diseases: Measurement of Serum Creatinine Concentration and Clearance

