INCREASED VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL-CELL MARKERS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC-RENAL-FAILURE ON MAINTENANCE HEMODIALYSIS

Plasma levels of the vascular endothelial cell, markers, thrombomoduli n (TM), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tissue type plasmin ogen activator (t-PA), and von Willebrand factor (vWF) were measured i n 55 patients on maintenance haemodialysis (HD). TM, PAI-1 and vWF ant igen levels were significantly increased in patients before HD, but t- PA antigen was not. Compared with levels before HD, t-PA and vWF antig ens were significantly increased 1 h after HD and at the end of HD. TM antigen was significantly increased 1 h after HD, and plasma PAI-1 an tigen was decreased at the end of HD. TM and vWF antigen levels were n egatively correlated with the time (years) on HD. It is concluded that HD may cause endothelial cell damage and that the increases in plasma TM, PAI-1 and vWF levels before HD, and the decrease in the release o f TM and vWF antigens from vascular endothelial cells, might be caused by vascular endothelial cell damage from long-term HD.