[Membrane phospholipid peroxidation in renal insufficiency and chronic hemodialysis]

Lipid peroxidation is a result of the fatty acid side-chains of cellular membrane phospholipids attack by oxygen-derived free radicals. It has been suggested that some of the complications related to haemodialysis may be due to ineffective antioxidant systems and/or an increased free oxygen radical production. Serum antioxidant activity in patients undergoing regular dialysis treatment has been shown to be significantly decreased and to exhibit high malondialdehyde levels indicating that the patients were susceptible to cellular injury by lipid peroxidation. Superoxide dismutase and glutathion peroxidase activities are decreased in plasma and erythrocytes. Moreover, in uremia, blood cell and mononuclear cell membranes contents of vitamin E are reduced. Thus, chronic uremic patients seem to have defective plasma and cellular antioxidant mechanisms together with an increase of circulating free radical reaction products.