IMPAIRED POLYMORPHONUCLEAR NEUTROPHIL FUNCTION IN END-STAGE RENAL-FAILURE AND ITS CORRECTION BY CONTINUOUS AMBULATORY PERITONEAL-DIALYSIS

The polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) function of 22 patients with en dstage renal failure (ESRF) was studied immediately before and 3 month s after starting continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and compared with a control group of healthy normal volunteers. The PMN fu nctions studied were phagocytosis and killing of Staphylococcus epider midis and respiratory burst activity. The results show that in the pre sence of normal pooled human serum PMN from patients with ESRF before CAPD treatment phagocytose bacteria normally, but have impaired killin g. Before treatment, the PMN from patients with ESRF also showed an in crease in both unstimulated and stimulated superoxide anion production . Abnormal PMN function was corrected by CAPD treatment, suggesting th e involvement of a dialyzable toxin.