Increase of C-reactive protein serum values following haemodialysis

In this study serum C-reactive protein values were measured to prove the induction of an acute-phase response during the haemodialysis procedure in end-stage renal disease patients. C-reactive protein values were measured with a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect values below the detection limit of standard assays. Predialysis C-reactive protein serum values in 17 patients on regular haemodialysis with cuprophan dialysers were greater than those of 18 normal controls (P less than 0.001). In the same group of haemodialysis patients serum C-reactive protein values 24 h after haemodialysis were significantly greater than predialysis values (P less than 0.001). These results suggest that acute-phase proteins are induced during haemodialysis, probably due to cytokine release during the haemodialysis procedure.