[Ethylene oxide-induced antibodies and hypersensitivity reactions in hemodialysis]

The presence of antibodies against ethylene oxide, which is used for sterilization of dialyzers, was evaluated in 52 hemodialysis patients (30 male, 22 female). The aim of the prospective study was to evaluate a possible correlation of these antibodies with hypersensitivity reactions during hemodialysis. By means of a radio-allergo-sorbent-test (RAST) only 3.9% (2 patients) were detected to have ethylene oxide antibodies. There was no significant correlation between antibodies on the one hand, and symptoms, eosinophilia and IgE-elevation on the other hand. We could not find ETO-induced hypersensitivity reactions in our study population. Thorough rinsing and sufficient storage time of the dialyzers might be the reasons for these findings.