INFLUENCE OF HEMODIALYSIS ON HEMORHEOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN CHRONIC RENAL-INSUFFICIENCY

The influence of haemodialysis (HD) was assessed in 72 patients, undergoing a thrice weekly routine HD for chronic renal failure (CRF). Some of them received human recombinant erythropoietin (Eprex(R)). Measurements 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 dissociation thresholds. Plasma viscosity (PV) was evaluated in an automatic viscometer. Fibrinogen (Fg) levels, haematological features (blood cell count), serum proteins, creatinin, and some other biochemical parameters, were also determined. Anaemia was a common feature. Our results compared to those of a control group, confirmed the erythocyte hyperaggregation before HD which increased during HD. PV also elevated before HD, further increased after HD ; the same finding was observed for Fg. Some of these results might be related to the haemoconcentration. Significant 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 between relative variations of AT and relative variations of PV, Fg, proteins and body weight, before and after HD. Special attention was given to the group of patients under long term treatment with Eprex(R) compared to non-treated dialysed patients : no significant difference was found between both groups. Our results are in agreement with a blood and plasma viscosity syndrome due to increased EA and with a tendency to thrombosis reported in those patients