title: Effects of AST-120 on blood concentrations of protein-bound uremic toxins and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in chronic dialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Removal of protein-bound uremic toxins by dialysis therapy is limited. The effect of oral adsorbent AST-120 in chronic dialysis patients has rarely been investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  AST-120 was administered 6.0 g/day for 3 months in 69 chronic dialysis patients. The blood concentrations of indoxyl sulfate, p-cresol sulfate and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk were determined before and after AST-120 treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AST-120 significantly decreased both the total and free forms of indoxyl sulfate and p-cresol sulfate ranging from 21.9 to 58.3%. There were significant simultaneous changes of the soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK, 24% increase), malondialdehyde (14% decrease) and interleukin-6 (19% decrease). A significant association between the decrease of indoxyl sulfate and changes of sTWEAK and interleukin-6 was noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AST-120 effectively decreased indoxyl sulfate and p-cresol sulfate levels in both total and free forms. AST-120 also improved the profile of cardiovascular biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Te
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chung-Yao
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: You-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Tain
authors.forename: Hwee-Yeong
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Ben-Chong
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Chih-Chau
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chien-Hsing
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Terry Ting-Yu
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: Yueh-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shang-Chih
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002244:Carbon / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D003408:Cresols / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007200:Indican / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011485:Protein Binding; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000097:blood; D014511:Uremia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003408:Cresols; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010087:Oxides; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters; C109743:TNFSF12 protein, human; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors; D008315:Malondialdehyde; C408690:4-cresol sulfate; D002244:Carbon; C040896:AST 120; D007200:Indican