Reduction of Alzheimer's Disease Amyloid-beta in Plasma by Hemodialysis and Its Relation to Cognitive Functions

Background/Aims: Rapid removal of plasma amyloid-beta (A beta) by blood purification may serve as a peripheral A beta sink from the brain for Alzheimer's disease therapy. We investigated the reduction of plasma A beta during hemodialysis and cognitive states. Methods: A beta concentrations and Mini-Mental State Examinations (MMSE) were investigated in 37 hemodialysis patients (68.9 +/- 4.1 years). Results: The dialyzers effectively removed A beta(1-40) and A beta(1-42), 63.9 +/- 14.4 and 51.6 +/- 17.0% at 4 h dialysis, resulting in the reduction of A beta s in whole-body circulation by 51.1 +/- 8.9 and 32.7 +/- 12.0%, respectively. Although the plasma A beta s before dialysis (750.8 +/- 171.3 pg/ml for A beta(1-40)) were higher than those reported for Alzheimer's disease patients, the cognitive states of hemodialysis patients were relatively normal, especially of longer dialysis vintages. Conclusions: Dialyzers effectively reduced A beta s in whole-body circulation. Repeated rapid decrease of plasma A beta s might maintain cognitive state. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel