EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT DIALYSIS MEMBRANES ON LIPID AND LIPOPROTEIN SERUM PROFILES IN HEMODIALYSIS-PATIENTS

We measured the serum concentrations of a variety of lipid constituent s - total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) c holesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoproteins A1 an d B, and lipoprotein(a)- in well-matched uremic patients undergoing ch ronic hemodialysis with either cuprophane (n = 13) or polysulfone (n = 13) membranes. We found that the patients on polysulfone membrane dia lysis had significantly higher mean HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 concentrations than the patients on cuprophane membrane dialysis. There were no significant differences in the other variables studied. Moreover, polysulfone membrane dialysis was associated with a lower pr evalence of potentially atherogenic lipid abnormalities such as low HD L cholesterol levels and high total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ration s. We concluded that the use of more physiological dialysis procedure may improve, in the long term, lipid and lipoprotein profiles in hemod ialysis patients, though the exact mechanism(s) remains unknown.