Evaluating of Hemodialysis Adequacy using Middle Molecular Indicator (Interleukin-1, Myoglobin Markers). A...

Uremic toxins accumulate in the body due to kidney dysfunction and are classified by molecular weight into small, middle, and large solutes. Middle-sized molecules, such as myoglobin and interleukin-1 (IL-1), are implicated in chronic inflammation, cardiovascular complications, and dialysis-related issues. Conventional hemodialysis (HD) effectively removes small solutes but is less efficient at clearing middle molecules.

To assess the removal efficiency of myoglobin and IL-1 using two different high-flux dialyzers (FX80 and Platinum H4, surface area 1.8 m²) in both high-flux hemodialysis (HF-HD) and hemodiafiltration (HDF) modalities.

A crossover study was conducted on 30 prevalent ESRD patients undergoing thrice-weekly HD at Ain Shams Uni-versity Specialized Hospital. Patients received both HD and HDF treatments using FX80 and Platinum H4 dialyzers, with a two-week washout period between modalities. Each session was conducted with blood flow ≥300 mL/min and bicarbonate dialysate. Serum IL-1 and myoglobin were measured before and after sessions, and reduction ratios were calculated.

The mean age of patients was 51.8 ± 12.9 years, and 80% were male. Baseline pre-dialysis IL-1 and myoglobin levels showed no significant differences across groups. Post-dialysis, the highest reduction ratios were observed with HDF-Platinum H4 for both IL-1 (81.6 ± 12.6%) and myoglobin (83.8 ± 10.6%), followed by HDF-FX80, HD-Platinum H4, and HD-FX80 (p < 0.001). Urea reduction ratio was also significantly higher with HDF compared to HD (75.2 ± 5.6% vs. 67.1 ± 8.3%, p < 0.001). No significant correlations were observed between transmembrane pressure and reduction ratios.

IL-1 and myoglobin are reliable markers for dialysis adequacy. HDF demonstrates superior removal of these middle molecules compared to HF-HD. Among dialyzers, Platinum H4 outperformed FX80, showing greater clearance efficiency in both modalities.