Abstract
To modify the intestinal bacterial flora of hemodialysis patients, a dietary fiber preparation was administered and its effects on immune function were studied.
Thirty patients on maintenance hemodialysis without signs of infection (15 men and 15 women) received a water soluble polydextrose dietary fiber preparation (7g/day: 4 pieces of Touriame) for 8 weeks, and blood concentrations of the products derived from intestinal bacteria as well as hematological parameters before administration were compared to those obtained after administration.
After dietary fiber administration, serum concentrations of bacterial products derived from intestinal bacterial flora (phenol (p<0.05), p-cresol (p<0.01), and indoxyl sulfate (p<0.05)) were significantly decreased as compared with the respective pretreatment values. In addition, lymphocyte blastogenesis, whether induced by PHA (p<0.05), ConA (p<0.01) or PWM (p<0.05), was increased significantly.
It is concluded that dietary fiber is useful for improving the immunocompromised state of hemodialysis patients, as well as for relieving symptoms such as constipation.
