Tau Protein Elevation During a Single Hemodialysis Session in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients and Its Associations with Cardiovascular and Inflammatory Biomarkers
Agnieszka Bociek, Sylwia Terpiłowska, Kamila Bołtuć-Dziugieł, Joanna Roskal-Wałek, Jerzy Mosiewicz, Wojciech Dąbrowski, Andrzej JaroszyńskiBackground
Hemodialysis (HD) may be associated with cerebral hypoperfusion and neuronal stress in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This exploratory study assessed changes in serum concentrations of neuronal injury biomarkers, including Tau protein (Tau), during a single HD session and examined their associations with selected cardiovascular and inflammatory biomarkers.
Materials and Methods
Forty-four patients with ESRD undergoing maintenance HD were analyzed. Blood samples were collected immediately before and after one HD session to assess serum concentrations of selected biomarkers. Correlation and exploratory regression analyses were used to identify variables associated with change in Tau concentration (ΔTau) and post-HD ΔTau.
Results
Serum ΔTau increased after HD (394.36 ± 161.13 vs 469.78 ± 155.45 pg/mL, p = 0.0042), whereas GFAP, MBP, and S100B did not change significantly. Exploratory regression suggested that ΔTau was associated with ΔET-1, pre-HD parathormone, and pre-HD oxidized LDL (oxLDL). Post-HD Tau was mainly associated with post-HD ET-1, pre-HD ferritin, and QTc change; an alternative model including post-HD IL-6 instead of ferritin was also considered.
Conclusion
A single HD session was associated with increased serum ΔTau in patients with ESRD. The observed associations with ET-1, oxLDL, inflammatory markers, and QTc changes should be interpreted as exploratory and require validation in larger, independent cohorts.