NDT Advance Access originally published online on May 26, 2005
Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 2005 20(9):1932-1935; doi:10.1093/ndt/gfh912
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Effect of vitamin E-bonded dialyzer on eosinophilia in haemodialysis patients
Department of Internal Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Correspondence and offprint requests to: Kenichiro Kojima, Department of Internal Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-8605, Japan. Email: kojima{at}med.teikyo-u.ac.jp
Background. Eosinophilia in haemodialysis patients probably results from allergy to haemodialysis-related materials, including dialyzer membranes. We examined the effects of vitamin E-bonded dialyzers on eosinophil counts in haemodialysis patients.
Methods. We enrolled seven patients who were on regular haemodialysis and had sustained eosinophilia. White blood cell, eosinophil, CD4- and CD8-positive lymphocyte counts, and serum interleukin-5 (IL-5) and IgE levels were determined before, 2 and 4 weeks after switching to vitamin E-bonded dialyzers.
Results. Eosinophil and CD4-positive lymphocyte counts and serum IL-5 were significantly (P = 0.003, 0.003 and 0.031, respectively) decreased after switching to vitamin E-bonded dialyzers. CD8-positive lymphocyte counts and serum IgE levels were unaltered. Crossover tests in two cases reproduced the higher eosinophilia within 4 weeks after returning to the original non-vitamin E-bonded dialyzer.
Conclusion: Vitamin E-bonded dialyzers may ameliorate eosinophilia through a mechanism mediated by a decrease in IL-5 secretion by CD4-positive lymphocytes.
Keywords: CD4-positive lymphocyte; eosinophilia; haemodialysis; IL-5; vitamin E-bonded dialyzer