Immunologic patterns in hemodialysis patients with and without HBV infection

66 patients from 5 dialysis centers were surveyed for the prevalence of HBV markers. Their immune status was evaluated by studying parameters of cellular and humoral immunity. Results showed that all patients had depressed T cell numbers while B cell counts, IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and C3 levels were normal. However, the group of patients who had persistent HBs antigenemia also had persistence of HBeAg, negative responsiveness to skin testing and high IgE levels. The group with HBsAb had negative reactions for skin testing, and the group with no HBV markers had no further abnormalities. These results suggest that the presence and type of HBV marker influences the immune pattern in the hemodialyzed patient.