Lipid abnormalities of erythrocyte membranes in hemodialysis patients with chronic renal failure.

Lipids in erythrocyte membranes from 16 hemodialysis patients and 16 healthy volunteers were studied using gas chromatographic mass spectrometry. 7-keto cholestadiene was first reported in this study. The ratios of 7-keto cholestadiene to cholesterol, the ratios of arachidonate to cholesterol and the ratios of dochosahexanate to cholesterol in peak heights of chromatograms were measured in both groups as the markers of lipid peroxidation. Higher 7-keto cholestadiene/cholesterol ratios and lower arachidonate/cholesterol and dochosahexanate/cholesterol ratios were significantly observed in hemodialysis patients compared with healthy subjects. Our results are evidence that hemodialysis patients are exposed to much oxidative stress. It has been suggested that, during hemodialysis, leukocytes are activated by contract with non-physiological surfaces of the blood line tubing and produce oxygen free radicals. Oxygen free radicals attach cholesterol, arachidonate and dochosahexanate to produce lipid peroxides. In this study, this cell activation may be responsible for the increased lipid peroxidation of hemodialysis patients, 7-Keto cholestadiene, arachidonate and dochosahexanate can be used as markers of lipid peroxidation in hemodialysis patients.