Antiformaldehyde and anti-N-like antibodies in hemodialysis patients.
Seventy-one hemodialysis patients were tested for antibodies to red blood cell antigens; 19 of the 71 had been treated with formaldehyde-sterilized dialysis membranes. The sera of 3 (16%) of these 19 contained anti-N-like antibodies and those of 17 (89%) contained a second agglutinin specific for formaldehyde-treated red blood cells. Anti-N-like and "antiformaldehyde" antibodies appear to be serologically distinct. We suggest that residual formaldehyde in formaldehyde-sterilized dialysis membranes reacts with red blood cells to form an immunogen responsible for antiformaldehyde in patients treated with these membranes.
D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013242:Sterilization
D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D005557:Formaldehyde