We investigated the pathophysiological significance of the mature form of adrenomedullin (AM) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Thirty-nine HD patients were enrolled and divided into two groups: those undergoing ultrafiltration (UF) during an HD session, group I; and those not undergoing UF, group II. We measured mature AM, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), endothelin-1, nitric oxide, cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate, and catecholamine levels at 1-hour intervals during HD sessions. On-line optical measurement of hematocrit was used to estimate change in blood volume during HD. In group II, blood volume did not change significantly during HD, nor did plasma mature AM concentrations estimated at the beginning and end of the HD treatment (3.0 +/- 0.3 and 2.8 +/- 0.2 fmol/mL, respectively). However, blood volume decreased significantly in group I patients (-7.3% +/- 0.6%), as did plasma mature AM concentrations (from 4.4 +/- 0.3 to 3.1 +/- 0.3 fmol/mL; P < 0.01). In contrast to mature AM, plasma ANP concentrations declined in both groups (from 193 +/- 32 to 87 +/- 14 pg/mL in group I and 67 +/- 12 to 46 +/- 8 pg/mL in group II). We conclude that mature AM is a useful marker to evaluate circulating blood volume in HD patients. Circulating blood volume may regulate the conversion of AM from the inactive to the mature form.
Copyright 2002 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.