GRANULOCYTE MACROPHAGE COLONY STIMULATING FACTOR IMPROVES IMMUNOGENECITY OF HEPATITIS B VACCINE IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS.

Only 20-50% of hemodialysis patients, develop protective antibodies following double dose Hepatitis B vaccination. Early reports suggest augmented response with concomitant use of Granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GMCSF). This study was done to assess the response rate to hepatitis B vaccine in hemodialysis patients with use of GMCSF. Seventeen patients were included in study, all received 40 mcg of hepatitis B vaccine at 0,1 and 2 months. Ten of these received 150 mcg of GMCSF with each dose of vaccine while 7 were taken as controls. Only one patient from control group (14.3%) while 5/10 (50%) patients from GMCSF group, developed protective antibodies, i.e. anti HBS titres > 10miu/ml (p < 0.05). Present study shows the beneficial effect of GMCSF when used as adjuvant with hepatitis B vaccine, in hemodialysis patients.