ACUTE HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH HEMODIALYSISMEMBRANES

Abstract

Over the last decade, the hemodialysis population worldwide has increased from over one and a half million to approximately two and a half million. Hundreds of millions of dialyzers are used annually for their treatment, most of which utilize polysulfone membranes.Acute hypersensitivity reactions that develop during hemodialysis and are associated with dialysis membranes are a well-recognized complication. These reactions are most commonly linked to ethylene oxide sensitization or to membranes with low biocompatibility, such as cuprophane membranes, but they have also been described in dialyzers using highly biocompatible polysulfone membranes. Dialysis-associated anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions can develop rapidly, and their clinical presentation may range from mild, moderate, or life-threatening. The incidence of severe reactions ranges from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 50,000 dialysis procedures. We report three patients with acute hypersensitivity reactions associated with hemodialysis.