INFLUENCE OF HEMODIALYSIS ON HEMORHEOLOGI CAL PARAMETERS IN CHRONIC RENAL-INSUFFICIENCY

The influence of haemodialysis (HD) was assessed in 72 patients, under going a thrice weekly routine HD for chronic renal failure (CRF). Some of them received human recombinant erythropoietin (Eprex(R)). Measure ments were performed before and after the HD session : the erythrocyte aggregation (EA) was carried out by a laser backscattering technique with determination of the aggregation time (AT) and of the dissociatio n thresholds. Plasma viscosity (PV) was evaluated in an automatic visc ometer. Fibrinogen (Fg) levels, haematological features (blood cell co unt), serum proteins, creatinin, and some other biochemical parameters , were also determined. Anaemia was a common feature. Our results comp ared to those of a control group, confirmed the erythocyte hyperaggreg ation before HD which increased during HD. PV also elevated before HD, further increased after HD ; the same finding was observed for Fg. So me of these results might be related to the haemoconcentration. Signif icant correlations were noted between AT and PV, AT and Fg with doser correlations after HD, suggesting a strong cohesion of RBC aggregates, which enhanced during HD. Correlations were highly significant betwee n relative variations of AT and relative variations of PV, Fg, protein s and body weight, before and after HD. Special attention was given to the group of patients under long term treatment with Eprex(R) compare d to non-treated dialysed patients : no significant difference was fou nd between both groups. Our results are in agreement with a blood and plasma viscosity syndrome due to increased EA and with a tendency to t hrombosis reported in those patients