Abstract
In order to clarify the effect of a PEG grafted cellulose membrane dialyzer under conditions of reduced heparin dosage, a controlled cross-over study involving 8 chronic hemodialysis patients was conducted with an original cellulose membrane (SD membrane) and a PC membrane which had been grafted with PEG by 100 or 180ppm to the SD membrane for hemodialysis (HD).
After HD under normal heparin dosage (100%) and reduced heparin dosage to 80% and 60% of normal levels, conditions, the amounts of adsorbed protein, LDH, and other blood components deposited on membranes and residual blood in dialyzers were investigated.
The amounts of adsorbed protein and LDH seemed to be decreased according to increases in the grafted PEG and heparin dosage. Analysis of adsorbed proteins by the SDS-PAGE method showed different results with these membranes. The number of PC membrane protein bands observed was less than that of the SD membrane. The PC membrane (180ppm PEG) had the least blood component deposition, as compared with the SD membrane, on the basis of scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
However, it was not possible to demonstrate a significant relation between residual blood and the amount of the PEG graft.
Furthermore, the amount of adsorbed protein was investigated in terms of water removal rates. The effect of adsorbed protein on th water removal rate less with the PC membrane (180ppm) than with the SD membrane. Under conditions of reduced heparin (40% of normal dosage), the PC membrane clearly suppressed leukopenia.
These results indicate that the PC membrane has biocompatible characteristics such as leukopenia suppression and antithrombogenicity. The PC membrane was found to be remarkably useful for HD therapy with a reduced heparin dosage.
