Abstract: 【Abstract】Aims To assess the incidence and characteristics of hypersensitive reactions to dialyzer in hemodialysis patients. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the patients necessary to change dialyzers due to hypersensitivity to the dialyzers in the four hospitals in Liaoning province during December 2016 to December 2019. Their clinical data including symptoms, onset time, offending dialyzer, duration of exposure to the dialyzer, and the alternative dialyzer were collected. Results Eighteen patients out of 853 patients (2.11%) had hypersensitive reactions. The most frequent symptoms were dyspnea (50% of reactions) and skin itch (33.33%). Hypersensitive reactions occurred within the first 30 minutes of hemodialysis in 12 cases, and during the first week of dialysis in 9 cases. The membranes involved were polysulfone (n=9), polyamix (n=8) and polyethersulfone (n=2). Thirteen cases were treated with hemodialysis, and 5 cases with hemodiafiltration. The dialyzers were sterilized by steam. Three cases still had hypersensitive reactions when the dialysis membranes were replaced by different types of PS/PAES membranes. All of the cases became asymptomatic when cellulose triacetate membranes were used. Conclusion The incidence of hypersensitive reactions
associated with synthetic membranes is less changed compared with that 20 years ago. Cellulose triacetate membrane appears to be a better alternative, of which the reason needs to be further studied.

Key words: Hypersensitivity reaction to dialyzer, Polysulfone membrane, Cellulose triacetate membrane