Abstract
The plasma vitronectin (VN) levels of patient undergoing hemodialysis are known to below and to become lower as the duration of hemodialysis grows longer. Based on the foregoing, hemodialysis was conducted in the same patient by changing the membrane from regenerated cellulose (RC) to cellulose triacetate (CTA) and then to polysulfone (PS) to determine whether significant changes in plasma VN levels resulted from changing the membrane by measuring levels during hemodialysis. In addition, to assess the effect of heparin on changes in VN levels, changes of the level were compared when heparin and nafamostat mesilate (NM) were used as anticoagulants.
Predialysis plasma VN levels were lower than normal with all of the membranes. Significant reductions in VN levels were observed when the RC membrane was used 15 minutes after the start of dialysis, though no significant changes in VN levels were observed when CTA or PS membranes were used. This suggests that the degree of complement activation differs according to the type of membrane used, causing differences in the amount of VN consumed. Concerning the effect of heparin on changes in VN levels, there were no significant differences from when NM was used, irrespective of which membrane was used. Thus, the theory that VN is consumed by binding to heparin was not supported by our study.
