Antioxidant Dialytic Approach with Vitamin E-Coated Membranes

Oxidative stress is prevalent in dialysis patients and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of anemia and cardiovascular disease. Vitamin E-coated membranes are low-flux dialyzers consisting of a multilayer membrane with liposoluble vitamin E on the blood surface allowing direct contact with free oxygen radicals to be scavenged on the membrane site. The antioxidant properties of these membranes have an important clinical benefit because of reducing oxygen stress and inflammation may contribute to an improvement of hemoglobin levels, lower recombinant human erythropoietin dose and better anemia management, and at the same time may have a favorable impact on cardiovascular complications. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel