title: Serum neopterin monitoring and vitamin E-modified, regenerated hemodialyzer membrane influence on biocompatibility.
abstract: The exposure of blood to hemodialysis membranes results in numerous phenomena and/or complications in hemodialyzed patients, which have an influence on the quality of life (QOL) of those patients. A vitamin E-modified regenerated cellulose membrane (E-membrane) was developed to act as a scavenger for reactive oxygen species causing complications in hemodialysis patients. Neopterin (NEOP) is a metabolite derived from guanosine triphosphate with the production and release of NEOP being induced in monocytes and macrophages by cytokines such as interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). Serum neopterin levels are shown to be a reactive marker of bioincompatibility of dialysis membranes in hemodialysis patients. The following report evaluates the usefulness of serum NEOP as a marker for the biocompatibility of the E-membrane hemodialyzer in a clinical study. In the clinical study, where extracorporeal ultrafiltration strategies with E-membranes were employed, the serum levels of NEOP were lower than those in patients using cellulose triacetate membranes (C-membranes). In the long-term evaluation of the biocompatibility of E- and C-membranes, the increase of serum neopterin levels in the C-membrane was higher than those in the E-membrane. In conclusion, the evaluation of serum neopterin levels during hemodialysis shows that the E-membrane has a good biocompatibility in hemodialyzed patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Nara Medical University, Nara-ken, Japan. kappo@naramed-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Katsunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitauchi
authors.forename: Shouki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoneda
authors.forename: Hirotsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: Seiichirou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozono
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D014810:Vitamin E; D019798:Neopterin