C-reactive protein predicts all-cause mortality in hemodialysis patients

Abstract

Mortality in dialysis patients remains extremely high despite significant improvements in the provision of dialysis over the past 20 years. It once was believed that factors related to dialysis treatment and technique were the main causes of poor clinical outcome, but a recent multicenter, randomized clinical trial known as the HEMO Study failed to show an improvement in mortality or hospitalization by increasing dialysis dose or using high- flux dialysis membranes1. The medical determinants of mortality in dialysis patients are well appreciated, but available evidence suggests that among potential candidates for the high rate of hospitalization and mortality in dialysis patients both malnutrition and inflammation continue to be at the top of the list. Epidemiological studies repeatedly and consistently have shown a strong association between clinical outcome and inflammation in dialysis patients 2, 3. Our study objective was to evaluate the factors associated with all-cause mortality in a cohort of hemodialysis patients treated in a single hemodialysis center