Short summary

Patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis are burdened with high mortality rates due to cardiovascular complications and bloodstream infections. During hemodialysis the immune system is activated due to contact with foreign materials, which could lead to decreased immunoactivity. This project aims to answer key questions regarding hemodialysis patients' decreased ability to fight infections and in particular the potential exacerbating effect of hemodialysis.

Rationale

This project aims to answer key questions regarding hemodialysis patients' decreased ability to fight infections and in particular the potential exacerbating effect of hemodialysis. We hypothesize that hemodialysis patients' blood is significantly compromised by the process of hemodialysis, to an extend that lowers immunoactivity. Specifically, we hypothesize, that the contact activation system is activated during hemodialysis. This could lead to an increased coagulability of the blood thus potentially promoting biofilm formation with increases overall risk of BSI. We will test these hypotheses by collecting blood and analyzing the inflammation and coagulation status in plasma samples from participants before and after hemodialysis. We will compare the levels of the components from the immune system in plasma from participants with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis (n=180) to the levels in plasma samples from three control groups: healthy volunteers (n=120), participants with chronic kidney disease, not in dialysis (n=60) and participants with chronic kidney disease undergoing peritoneal dialysis (n=40).

Description of the cohort

We expect to include:

180 participants with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis from Nyremedicinsk Afdeling Y, Odense University Hospital (OUH)

120 healthy volunteers from Klinisk Immunologisk Afdeling (KIA), OUH

60 participants with chronic kidney disease, not in dialysis from Nyremedicinsk Afdeling Y, OUH

40 participants with chronic kidney disease undergoing peritoneal dialysis from Medicinsk Afdeling, Sjællands Universitetshospital

Data and biological material

EDTA and citrated plasma samples

Data from patient journal