FAVORABLE EFFECT OF HEMODIALYSIS ON DECREASED SERUM ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN HEMODIALYSIS-PATIENTS DEMONSTRATED BY ELECTRON-SPIN-RESONANCE

There is considerable evidence that uremic patients are in a highly pe roxidative state. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ser um antioxidant activity that may regulate, or represent, the redox sta te in vivo. Serum from pre- and posthemodialysis patients and from hea lthy control subjects was added to a system generating the hydroxyl ra dical, and then the signal intensities of reactive oxygen species were measured by electron spin resonance and spin-trapping technique. The electron spin resonance signals of the reaction mixture containing pre hemodialysis sera were significantly stronger than those of the reacti on mixture containing healthy sera (P < 0.001, n = 19), and there was no significant difference in the signals between the reaction mixture containing posthemodialysis and healthy sera. These findings demonstra ted that serum antioxidant activity in hemodialysis patients is signif icantly decreased, and this pathological condition is improved by hemo dialysis treatment.