title: Serum Endotoxin Activity Measured with Endotoxin Activity Assay Is Associated with Serum Interleukin-6 Levels in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis.
abstract: This study aims to evaluate, in patients on chronic hemodialysis (PHD), the levels of endotoxin through a chemiluminescent bioassay based on the oxidative burst reaction of activated neutrophils to complement coated LPS-IgM immune complexes and define the variables possibly correlated.
  
  
  
  In 61 PHD, we measured serum endotoxin activity (EA) with the Endotoxin Activity Assay (EAA™) and we defined the possible association with demographic, clinical and laboratory variables.
  
  
  
  Mean serum EA was 0.43 ± 0.26 UI. EA was low (<0.40) in 29 patients (47.5%), intermediate (0.40-0.60) in 14 (23%) and high (>0.60) in 18 (29.5%). A significant exponential relationship was detected between EA and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels (r = 0.871). At the multiple regression analysis, intermediate-high EA was directly associated only with serum IL-6 levels. In a second model of multiple regression analysis without the variable serum IL-6 levels, intermediate-high EA was directly associated with constipation and serum troponin levels and inversely associated with serum albumin and the monthly number of sevelamer tablets.
  
  
  
  A high percentage of PHD has intermediate or high EA. Intermediate-high EA is significantly associated with serum IL-6 levels.
authors: Hemodialysis Service, Institute of Clinical Surgery, Geriatrics and Psychiatry Catholic, Rome, Italy.
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Bossola
authors: Enrico
authors: E
authors: Di Stasio
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Sanguinetti
authors: Brunella
authors: B
authors: Posteraro
authors: Manuela
authors: M
authors: Antocicco
authors: Gilda
authors: G
authors: Pepe
authors: Enrica
authors: E
authors: Mello
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Bugli
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Vulpio
mesh_terms: D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012709:Serum Albumin
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012709:Serum Albumin