Patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis are vulnerable to infection. Humoral and phagocytic cell components of the host immune system act against invading microorganisms. It has been reported that serum opsonic activity, an aspect of the humoral immune system, is lower than normal in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. In order to elucidate pre and post hemodialytic changes in opsonic activity, we studied 20 patients undergoing hemodialysis for chronic glomerulonephritis at Oyokyo Kidney Research Institute Hirosaki Hospital by chemiluminescence using neutrophils. We also studied factors affecting serum opsonic activity.
The following results were obtained; 1. Serum opsonic activity before hemodialysis was lower than that after hemodialysis. 2. The factors interfering with serum opsonic activity had molecular weights <5, 000 daltons in pre-HD serum. 3. Serum dilution interferes with serum opsonic activity. These factors contribute to the vulnerability of patients undergoing hemodialysis to infection.