title: Leukopenia and hypoxemia. Unrelated effects of hemodialysis.
abstract: Hemodialysis-induced hypoxemia has been attributed to membrane-related complement activation leading to pulmonary leukostasis and to hypoventilation secondary to carbon dioxide losses via the dialyzer. We have separately assessed the role of membrane- and dialysis-related factors by using different dialyzers and sequential ultrafiltration and hemodialysis with first-use cellulose dialyzers produced both leukopenia and hypoxemia. With reused cellulose and polyacrylonitrile dialyzers, hypoxemia still occurred, but without leukopenia. Ultrafiltration produced leukopenia and no changes in Pao2; during the subsequent hemodialysis, hypoxemia developed as the leukocyte count increased by 50%. Our data indicate that leukopenia and hypoxemia are unrelated effects of hemodialysis, and favor hypoventilation as the major determinant of hypoxemia during hemodialysis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology*; D007688:Kidneys, Artificial / Q000295:instrumentation; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000379:methods; D014462:Ultrafiltration
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial