The effect of hemodialysis on neutrophil chemotactic responsiveness

Fifteen patients with chronic renal failure had depressed neutrophil chemotactic responsiveness following several hemodialysis treatments. The chemotactic index (C.I.) of these patients was 12.7+/-6.4 as compared with 72.8+/-22.7 for controls (p less than 0.001). Patients with chronic renal failure, not on hemodialysis, had only mildly depressed neutrophil chemotactic responsiveness (42.3+/-15;p less than 0.01). Thus, hemodialysis impairs neutrophil function and may contribute to the increased risk of infection in uremic patients. Chemotactic responsiveness returned to normal in three patients following renal transplantation.