Original Paper

Platelet Activation during Haemodialysis: Comparison of Cuprammonium Rayon and Polysulfone Membranes
Abel Thijs^a, Muriel P.C. Grooteman^{b, d}, Sonja Zweegman^c, Menso J. Nubé^{b, d, e}, Peter C. Huijgens^c, Coen D.A. Stehouwer^f

Departments of
^aInternal Medicine,
^bNephrology, and
^cHaematology and
^dInstitute for Cardiovascular Research, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam,
^eDepartment of Nephrology, Medical Centre Alkmaar, Alkmaar, and
^fDepartment of Internal Medicine, Academic Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Address of Corresponding Author

Blood Purif 2007;25:389-394 (DOI: 10.1159/000108628)

  Key Words

• Biocompatibility, dialysis membranes
• Platelet activation, haemodialysis
• Cuprammonium rayon vs. polysulfone membranes

  Abstract

Background/Aim: Haemodialysis-treated patients are at a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Part of this risk may be attributable to the type of the dialysis membrane used. We evaluated whether different dialysis membranes differ with respect to platelet activation. Methods: In a randomized crossover trial, the platelet activation was measured in 14 patients treated with two different dialyzers (cuprammonium rayon membrane and polysulfone membrane). We compared the platelet activation over the dialyzer and between dialyzers after several weeks of dialysis. Results: There were no differences between the two dialyzers in platelet activation over the dialyzer. After 2 weeks, however, the expression of CD62P, CD63, and PAC-1 was statistically significantly lower after cuprammonium membrane treatment than after polysulfone membrane treatment (mean fluorescence intensity in arbitrary units 8.0 vs. 11.1, 2.64 vs. 4.01, and 5.61 vs. 9.74, respectively). Conclusion: Dialysis with a polysulfone membrane seems to lead to more platelet activation than dialysis with a cuprammonium membrane.

Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

A. Thijs, MD
Department of Internal Medicine
VU University Medical Centre, Room 4 B 87, PO Box 7057
NL-1007 MB Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Tel. +31 20 444 4307, Fax +31 20 444 4313, E-Mail a.thijs@vumc.nl

  Article Information

The sponsor (Baxter Healthcare) was neither involved in the analysis of the results nor in the writing of the manuscript.

Received: March 21, 2007
Accepted: June 8, 2007
Published online: September 20, 2007
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 24