Role of the hemodialysis vascular access type in inflammation status and monocyte activation

Purpose: The aim of this study was to ascertain the role of different vascular access types in inflammatory status, monocyte activation, and senescence in hemodialysis patients.Methods: We recruited 126 hemodialysis patients, including 51 with arterovenous fistula (AVF), 32 with arterovenous graft (AVG), and 43 with tunneled cuffed catheters (TCC). In dialysis patients enrolled in the study and in a control group of 40 healthy subjects, we measured the serum levels of albumin, CRP, IL-6, and TNF-a, the expression of CD14, CD44, and CD32 on monocyte surface, and the percentage of monocytes exhibiting a senescent phenotype (CD14+CD32+). Results: The patients with AVG compared to those with AVF had: a) higher levels of CRP and TNF-a; b) increased expression of CD14 and CD32 on monocyte surface, with no difference in CD44 expression; c) no difference in the percentage of CD14+CD32+ monocytes. In the comparison of TCC vs. AVF group, we observed significantly higher values of: a) circulating inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-a); b) monocyte surface expression of cellular activation markers (CD14, CD44 and CD32); c) relative count of CD14+CD32+ monocytes. When comparing TCC vs. AVG group, we found: a) no difference in serum levels of CRP, IL-6, and TNF-a; b) no difference in the expression of CD14, CD44, and CD32 on monocyte surface; c) no difference in the percentage of CD14+CD32+ monocytes. Conclusions: These results suggest that the use of AVG and TCC for dialysis vascular access is associated with serological and cellular indexes of inflammatory reaction, also resulting in a higher degree of monocyte activation and senescence.