| [ Summary ] |
Plasma levels of polyamines, putrescine (put), cadaverine (cad), spermidine (spd) and spermine (spm) were higher in chronic renal failure patients than in normal subjects. Post-dialysis levels of plasma put and spd were significantly lower than predialysis levels. An inverse correlation between hematocrit rates and plasma spm levels was seen in long-term hemodialysis patients (r=-0.448, p<0.03). However, there was no correlation between hematocrit rates and plasma put, cad or spd levels in these patients. Spm has been considered to be not only an inhibitor of erythropoiesis, but also a stimulator of smooth muscle proliferation and an accelerator of atherosclerosis in chronic renal failure. |