[Kinetics of leukocytes in patients on hemodialysis]

The total numbers of leukocytes and relevant fractions of granulocytes in 51 patients on chronic intermittent hemodialysis were determined. The leukocytes were counted before the beginning, during the third hour of and one to two hours after the hemodialysis. Along with the kinetics of leukocytes the levels of C3 and C4 components of the complement were tested. A decrease of total numbers of leukocytes was observed as well as that of all the fractions of granulocytes during the third hour of dialysis. The intensity of leukopenia depended on the structure of dializer membrane. Observing the components C3 and C4 along with the values of leukocytes there was no association between these two alterations. The authors concluded that leukopenia during the hemodialysis is not caused by complement activation in the contact of plasma with the membrane of the dializer but by the mechanical effect of adhesion or microaggregation of leukocytes on the membrane of the dializer.