Antibodies to nuclear antigens in patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis.

Free nuclei of damaged leukocytes adhere to hemodialysis membranes. To see if the incidence of antibodies to nuclear antigens is increased in patients receiving hemodialysis, serums from 77 patients undergoing long-term dialysis for one to 66 months were assayed for antibodies to extractable nuclear antigen and native deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by hemagglutination technics. Serums from 300 other hospital patients (who did not have diseases known to be associated with antibodies to nuclear antigens) were assayed concurrently. Of the 77 dialysis patients, serums from 19 (25 per cent) were positive for one or both antibodies. Serums from only three (1 per cent) of the 300 other patients had detectable antibodies. The incidence was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in dialysis patients suggesting the possibility of sensitization to nuclear antigens during hemodialysis.