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The effect of calcitriol on natural killer cell activity in hemodialyzed patients

1989; Pergamon Press; Volume: 34; Issue: 1-6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0022-4731(89)90120-9

1878-2353

J. M. Quesada, Rafael Solana, A. Martín, Manuel Santamarı́a, Ignacio Serrano, María E. Martinez, Pedro Aljama, José Peña,

Electrolyte and hormonal disorders

We report the effect of calcitriol on natural killer (NK) cell activity in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing long-term hemodialysis. Natural killer cytotoxicity was significantly decreased in these patients when compared to healthy control subjects (13.1 ± 1.3 vs 38.8 ± 2.4%, P < 0.001). These patients also have decreased levels of calcitriol (17 ± 3 vs 36 ± 3 pg/ml, P < 0.001). After 14 days of oral treatment with calcitriol at a dose of 0.5 μg per day, a significant increase in NK activity was observed (20.2 ± 1.6%, P < 0.001). This increase was maintained after 28 days of treatment (21.1 ± 2%, P < 0.001). These results suggest that the decreased serum calcitriol might contribute to the diminished NK activity found in hemodialyzed patients, and suggests a new potential therapeutical utility of calcitriol as modulator of the immune function in these patients.