ACUTE CHANGES IN ENDOTHELIN AFTER HEMODIALYSIS IN CHILDREN

The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute changes in endo thelin (ET) levels immediately after hemodialysis and to determine whe ther these changes vary with the use of different membranes and hemodi alysis solutions. Ten children were included in the study. Three diffe rent hemodialysis sessions were performed on all patients: session 1, acetate-based dialysate and polycarbonate membrane; session 2, bicarbo nate-based dialysate and polycarbonate membrane; session 3, acetate-ba sed dialysate and polysulfone membrane. In all cases blood samples wer e obtained before and after dialysis. Pre-and post-hemodialysis ET lev els of the patients with acetate-based dialysate and polycarbonate mem brane were 33.68 +/- 11.51 pg/ml and 28.27 +/- 12.85 pg/ml, respective ly. The fall in ET levels after this session was statistically signifi cant (P = 0.015). We did not observe a statistically significant chang e in ET levels in the other sessions. Post-dialysis mean arterial pres sure values were significantly lower than the pre-dialysis values in a ll three dialysis sessions (P < 0.01). A positive correlation was obse rved between plasma ET levels and blood urea nitrogen and serum potass ium; a negative correlation was observed between plasma ET levels and hematocrit.