[ Summary ] |
A functioning vascular access is indispensable for uremic patients undergoing maintenancehemodialysis (HD). The prognosis of HD vascular accessmay be affected by the following factors, such as hypercoagulability, endothelial cell injury, red cell mass and genotype polymorphisms of some specific genes, including heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)gene. The above-mentioned factors may be regulated by some medications or specific therapeutic modality, which have been the focus of recent studies of vascular access. According to our previous study, far infrared (FIR) therapy can improve theaccess flow (Qa) and patency of the AV fistula in HD patients by both thermal and the non-thermal mechanisms, including endothelial-improving, anti-proliferative, anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects through stimulating HO-1 expression. |