Circulating levels of renalase, norepinephrine, and dopamine in dialysis patients

hRenalase may degrade catecholamines and regulate sympathetic tone and blood pressure (BP). The aim of the study was to assess dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and renalase in 75 hemodialysis (HD) and 26 peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and their correlations with heart rate (HR), BP, a type of hypotensive therapy, and residual renal function.

Renalase, DA, NE were studied using commercially available assays.

Renalase and NE were higher and DA was lower in dialyzed groups comparing to healthy volunteers. Hemodialysis patients had lower NE and higher renalase level. Norepinephrine was higher in anuric patients in HD group. Renalase correlated with dialysis vintage and inversely with residual diuresis. Dopamine correlated with residual diuresis in the whole study cohort, with HR in PD patients, with renalase in HD patients. Norepinephrine correlated with aortic diameter in PD patients. Norepinephrine was significantly higher in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) in HD group. Hemodialysis population with CAD had lower NE and higher DA and renalase level than their PD counterparts. In the follow up, 27% of HD group died. Cardiac death was diagnosed in 17% and there was higher renalase level than in noncardiac death.

Elevated level of circulating renalase in dialysis patients is rather related to kidney function and the sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity found in this population. The real excess of renalase in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders in patients with chronic kidney disease still remains to be proven. If confirmed, it may give a new way for pathophysiological therapy.