Influence of some immune factors on the IL-6 and soluble IL-2 receptors in haemodialysed patients.

In respect to the immune deficiency state of long-term haemodialysed patients, both cytokines and their receptor disturbances have been taken into consideration. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of uraemic and haemodialysis factors on the interleukin-6 and interleukin-2 soluble receptor levels and the reactivity after influenza vaccination. We have found that IL-6 and IL-2 receptor levels were statistically significantly elevated (98.8 +/- 39 pg/ml and 1557 +/- 544 U/ml, respectively) in serum of haemodialysed patients. The fact that increased immune complexes statistically correlated with soluble IL-2 receptor levels (p < 0.01) was very interesting for us. In order to study the immunological response after vaccination, 10 patients have been investigated after influenza vaccination. Plasma samples were collected before, as well as 1 and 4 weeks after vaccine administration. Antibody titres measured by haemagglutinin inhibition showed decreased antibody levels in haemodialysed patients. We conclude that the interleukin disturbance and the elevated interleukin-2 receptor levels together with the presence of circulating immune complexes can influence in some way the immune response of haemodialysed patients.