Endotoxemia and unexplained inflammation in haemodialysis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Endotoxemia and unexplained inflammation in haemodialysis
IRAS ID
170252
Contact name
Jonathan P Wong
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Unexplained persistent inflammation is a common problem seen in patients undergoing haemodialysis. Persistent inflammation is associated with poor prognosis and the underlying cause is not well understood but blood endotoxins may be responsible. Endotoxemia has been reported in haemodialysis patients but published blood endotoxin levels vary significantly between studies. This is likely due to methodological differences used between studies and no endotoxin detection assay has been validated for use in patients with end-stage kidney disease. We recently determined that the kinetic turbidimetric Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) assay is a valid tool to detect endotoxin in uraemic plasma. We will use this assay to determine the relationship between endotoxemia and unexplained inflammation in the haemodialysis population. We will investigate whether initiation onto haemodialysis increases blood endotoxin levels and if endotoxemia is related to dialysis related symptoms and morbidity.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EE/0019
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion