Abstract: Objective To investigate red blood cell lifespan and its influencing factors in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods The MHD patients treated in the Blood Purification Center of Henan Provincial People's Hospital from February 2023 to May 2023 were selected as the research subjects. Their general data and clinical indicators were collected. Red blood cell lifespan was measured by carbon monoxide (CO) exhalation method. The patients were then divided into normal red blood cell lifespan group and shortened red blood cell lifespan group. The incidence of shortened red blood cell lifespan, and the influencing factors for red blood cell lifespan were analyzed. Clinical parameters were compared between the two groups.  Results ①A total of 83 MHD patients were enrolled, with the gender ratio of 67.47% males (56 cases), mean age of 51.55±10.08 years, and mean dialysis age of 45.80±28.20 months. Diabetic nephropathy accounted for 37.34% of the primary renal diseases. ②Red blood cell lifespan ranged from 29 to 126 days, with an average of 60.83±29.66 days. Shortened red blood cell lifespan was found in 49 cases (59.03%). ③Multivariate linear regression showed that serum albumin (β=0.163, P=0.048), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (β=-0.284, P=0.044) and PTH (β=-0.054, P=0.018) were the independent influencing factors for red blood cell lifespan.  Conclusion The mean red blood cell lifespan becomes shortened in MHD patients. The red blood cell lifespan is independently correlated with serum albumin, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and serum parathyroid hormone.

Key words: Maintenance hemodialysis, Red blood cell lifespan, Risk factor