Objective To investigate the relationship between the changes of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and left cardiac function in uremic patients and the effect of hemodialysis (HD) on these cytokines. Methods The levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-α were measured in 22 normal controls, 22 non-HD, and 22 maintenance HD uremic patients, before and after dialysis. The left ventricular ejective fraction (LVEF), early mitral inflow peak velocity (E), atrial mitral inflow peak index (A), and ratio of E to A (E/A) were assessed by echocardiogram in 22 non-HD uremic patients and in 22 normal controls. Result The levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-α in 22 non-HD and 22 HD uremic patients before and after hemodialysis were elevated compared to normal controls, there were significant differences (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in maintenance HD uremic patients before and after dialysis ( P>0.05). Compared with control group, 11 cases (50.0%) had cardiac diastolic dysfunction while 8 cases (36.7%) had cardiac systolic dysfunction, and 4 cases (18.2%) had cardiac diastolic and systolic dysfunction at the same time in 22 non-HD uremic patients (P<0.05). In non-HD uremic patients, IL-6 and TNF-α correlated negatively with LVEF and E/A (P<0.05), IL-6 correlated positively with TNF-α (P<0.01). Conclusion IL-6 and TNF-α probably involve in the presence and the progression of uremia and its cardiovascular complications, the synergism of them could deteriorate cardiac function. Immune cells in uremia patients which are in an activated state are responsible for the porduction and release of cytokines rather than the in-flammatory response affected by dialysis membranes.