title: Blood color is influenced by inflammation and independently predicts survival in hemodialysis patients: quantitative evaluation of blood color.
abstract: Blood color of dialysis patients can be seen routinely. Darkened blood color is often observed in critically ill patients generally because of decreased oxygen saturation, but little is known about the other factors responsible for the color intensity. In addition, quantitative blood color examination has not been performed yet. Therefore, no one has evaluated the predictive power of blood color. The aim of this study was to evaluate if blood color darkness reflects some medical problems and is associated with survival disadvantage. Study design is a prospective cohort study. One hundred sixty-seven patients were enrolled in this study. Quantification of blood color was done using a reflected light colorimeter. Demographic and clinical data were collected to find out the factors that can be related to blood color. Follow-ups were performed for 2 years to analyze the risk factors for their survival. Regression analysis showed that C-reactive protein and white blood cell count were negatively correlated with blood color. In addition, blood color was positively correlated with mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and serum sodium concentration as well as blood oxygen saturation. During a follow-up, 34 (20.4%) patients died. Cox regression analysis revealed that darkened blood color was an independent significant risk factor of mortality in hemodialysis patients as well as low albumin and low Kt/V. These results suggest that inflammation independently affects blood color and quantification of blood color is useful to estimate prognosis in patients undergoing hemodialysis. It is possible that early detection of blood color worsening can improve patients' survival.
authors: Department of Hemodialysis, Koujukai Rehabilitation Hospital, Aichi, Japan.
authors: Masanori
authors: M
authors: Shibata
authors: Kojiro
authors: K
authors: Nagai
authors: Toshio
authors: T
authors: Doi
authors: Hideo
authors: H
authors: Tawada
authors: Shinkichi
authors: S
authors: Taniguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000379:methods; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003116:Color; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D016019:Survival Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D012964:Sodium; D010100:Oxygen