Tumor necrosis factor gene expression in regular hemodialysis patients

This study evaluates tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alfa gene expression in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on regular hemodialysis as an expression of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk even on a sub-clinical level and its relation to some of the parameters incriminated in the pathogenesis and the establishment of uremic arteriopathy. A total of 51 patients with ESRD on regular hemodialysis and 20 healthy subjects matching in age and gender as a control group were recruited. All selected cases were subjected to serum lipid profile, Creactive protein (CRP), TNF-alfa gene expression and Doppler study of carotid arteries to estimate carotid intimal media thickness (cIMT). Serum triglycerides (TGS) level (P <0.001), CRP positivity (P = 0.002), relative quantification (RQ) of TNF-alfa gene expression (P = 0.007) and cIMT (P = 0.02) were significantly higher while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level (P <0.001) was significantly lower among cases compared with controls. RQ showed a significant positive correlation with CRP titer (rho = 0.583, P = 0.011). Results also showed a significant strong negative correlation between with CRP titer and cIMT (rho = -0.590, P = 0.010). CRP titer showed only a significant strong negative correlation with age (rho = -0.589, P = 0.01) and positive correlation with HDL (rho = 0.51, P = 0.031). Patients with ESRD have increased gene expression of TNF-alfa and CRP titer together with increased atherosclerosis as expressed by increased cIMT.