Plasma thrombomodulin levels in uremic patients maintained on CAPD

Abstract

In order to clarify the effect of CAPD on plasma thrombomodulin, which is regarded as a marker of endothelial cell injury, we investigated plasma thrombomodulin antigen levels (TM) in uremic patients maintained on CAPD (n=16), in comparison with TM in uremic patients maintained on regular hemodialysis treatment (HD) (n=25). TM were significantly higher in HD patients than in CAPD patients (HD: 20±7 (mean±SD) ng/ml; CAPD: 15±3, p<0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between the duration of dialysis and TM (HD: r=0.809, p<0.001; CAPD: r=0.431, p<0.05) in both HD and CAPD patients. However, the slope (A) of the regression line (TM=A×duration of dialysis+B) was steeper (0.05<p<0.1) in HD patients than in CAPD patients. These results suggest that CAPD and HD appear to have different effects on vascular endothelial disorders.