sTREM-1 in patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis.

The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily. TREM-1 has been implicated as an amplifier of inflammation. Soluble TREM-1 (sTREM-1) was investigated in different clinical conditions, but not in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We aimed to investigate sTREM-1 as a marker of inflammation in HD patients. We investigated 40 CKD patients undergoing chronic HD treatment and 15 controls. Routine laboratory investigations in addition to CRP measured by immunoturbidimetry, TNF- α, and sTREM-1 measured by ELISA were assayed in post-hemodialysis patients' blood samples and in controls' blood samples. CRP, TNF-α, and sTREM-1 levels were significantly higher in HD patients than in controls (p < 0.001 for all). sTREM-1 was positively correlated with CRP and TNF-α (r = +0.50, p < 0.001 and r = +0.53, p < 0.001 respectively). It was negatively correlated with hemoglobin concentration (r = -0.69, p < 0.001). Hemoglobin concentration was the significant predictor of sTREM-1 level (p < 0.001). In conclusion, sTREM-1 level is significantly increased in HD patients as are other pro-inflammatory markers.