Influence of the type of membrane and heparin on serum lipid parameters during a dialysis session: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
The type of heparin and membrane used might influence the lipids in patients on hemodialysis (HD). However, there are limited and debatable data concerning the lipid changes during an HD session. The aim of our study was to examine the changes in serum lipid parameters during the HD session in relation to the heparin and dialysis membrane used.


METHODS
Ten patients on HD 3 times/week participated in the study. The study was performed in three phases (A, B, C), each of 1 week's duration. The types of membranes used were Hemophan (phase A), ethylene vinyl alcohol (phase B) and polyacrylonitrile (phase C), respectively, in a random order. During the midweek session of each phase we used classic heparin, while during the session at the end of the week low molecular weight heparin was administered. Serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, Lp(a), albumin and total proteins were measured before and 5 min after the HD and hourly during the HD session.


RESULTS
In all phases, we found a progressive increase in all lipid parameters during the HD session, except Lp(a). This increase, however, was possibly due to hemoconcentration.


CONCLUSIONS
This pilot study showed that (1) the type of heparin and membrane used does not seem to affect the serum lipid profile during a single HD procedure, and (2) the changes observed in serum lipid parameters are mainly due to hemoconcentration.
Katopodis
Konstantinos P
KP
Department of Nephrology, University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
Elisaf
Moses
M
Balafa
Olga
O
Nikolopoulos
Petros
P
Bairaktari
Eleni
E
Katsaraki
Afroditi
A
Siamopoulos
Kostas C
KC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D006435:Renal Dialysis
D000925:Anticoagulants; D008055:Lipids; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D006493:Heparin