Abstract: Objective To observe the change of plasma soluble vascular cell adhension molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and its relationship to C-reactive protein (CRP) and soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients, and to explore their potential effects on renal injury and immunodeficiency. Methods We recruited 30 CRF patients without hemodialysis (CRF group) treated in the Department of Nephrology, Beijing TongRen Hospital of Capital Medical University, 30 uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis for more than 3 months (HD group) treated in the Dialysis Center of this hospital, and 20 healthy volunteers (normal control group) matched with the patients in age and gender. Plasma sVCAM-1 was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. The relationship between sVCAM-1 and related factors, and the influence of hemodialysis on plasma sVCAM-1 were analyzed. ANOVA and Pearson correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results Plasma sVCAM-1, CRP and sCD40L were significantly higher in CRF group and HD group than in the control group (P<0.01). Plasma sVCAM-1 and sCD40L were higher in HD group than in CRF group (P<0.05). In CRF group, sVCAM-1 level was positively correlated with CRP and sCD40L (P<0.05), and with serum creatinine (Scr) (P<0.01). In HD group, sVCAM-1 level was positively correlated with CRP (P<0.01), but had no correlations with Scr and sCD40L (P>0.05). After one HD session, plasma sVCAM-1 increased significantly, compared to that before the HD (P<0.01). Conclusion Elevation of plasma sVCAM-1 occurs in CRF patients especially in those on hemodialysis, which may relate to the microinflammatory state and may also be involved in the renal injury and abnormal immune function in these patients.

Key words: Chronic renal failure, Hemodialysis, Inflammatory factors