Serum levels of 5-s-cysteinyldopa are correlated with skin colors in hemodialysis patients but not in peritoneal dialysis patients.
BACKGROUND
Diffuse hyperpigmentation is common in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD). We previously reported that serum levels of 5-S-cysteinyldopa (5SCD, a pheomelanin precursor) and pheomelanin were significantly elevated in HD patients.


METHODS
Skin color was assessed using a Mexameter that measures the melanin index (MI) and the erythema index (EI). The upper inner arms (non-sun-exposed site) and the foreheads (sun-exposed site) of HD and PD patients and control subjects were analyzed.


RESULTS
MI values on the upper inner arms and on the foreheads of HD and PD patients were significantly higher than in controls. In HD patients, significant correlations were found for serum 5SCD levels with MI and EI on the upper inner arm, and for EI on the forehead. In PD patients, no such correlations were found.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperpigmentation in HD patients results partly from accumulation of pheomelanin in the skin.
Murakami
Kazutaka
K
Department of Nephrology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Nakanishi
Yukiko
Y
Wakamatsu
Kazumasa
K
Yamamoto
Koichiro
K
Kohriyama
Nahoko
N
Hasegawa
Midori
M
Tomita
Makoto
M
Nabeshima
Kunihiro
K
Hiki
Yoshiyuki
Y
Asano
Shinsuke
S
Kawashima
Shiro
S
Ito
Yasuhiro
Y
Fujita
Yoshiro
Y
Asada
Hiroaki
H
Nakai
Shigeru
S
Sugiyama
Satoshi
S
Ito
Shosuke
S
D000368:Aged; D003548:Cysteinyldopa / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012880:Skin Pigmentation
D008543:Melanins; C018362:pheomelanin; D003548:Cysteinyldopa