title: Chromosome instability in patients with chronic renal failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), the presence of cytostaticity, cytotoxicity, and therefore, the possible genetic instability in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) in human cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured from 32 patients with CRF (average 55.2 years) and 18 healthy blood donors (average 44.6 years), and the SCE method was applied afterward. The increase in SCE frequency was evaluated as an immediate DNA damage index, while the reduction in the values of the proliferating rate indices was evaluated as a cytostatic index and the mitotic indices as a cytotoxic index was also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase in the SCE frequencies along with a significant reduction in mitotic indices was observed in patients with CRF compared with the controls. It is notable that there was no significant difference in SCE levels among patients with CRF and cancer, and patients with CRF alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study illustrates increased genetic instability in patients with CRF. These results could also be of a great importance in early diagnosis to prognosticate a possible generation of neoplasm in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Demokrition University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece. lialiari@med.duth.gr
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lialiaris
authors.forename: Polyxeni
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mavromatidou
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Digkas
authors.forename: Theoktisti
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Passadaki
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mpountoukas
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panagoutsos
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vargemezis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D043171:Chromosomal Instability; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008940:Mitotic Index; D011379:Prognosis; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange