OBJECTIVE: To explore further the mechanisms leading to immune deficiency in chronic renal failure and the role of dialysis treatment in these mechanisms. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis. PATIENTS: We studied 39 children treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD), 23 children treated with hemodialysis (HD), 33 children not yet dialyzed [chronic renal failure (CRF)], and 27 healthy children. Peritoneal cells were also obtained from PD children for analysis. METHODS: White blood cells (WBCs) were isolated from blood and peritoneal dialysis effluent by centrifugation. The number of CD2+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells were measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The total peripheral blood lymphocyte count was lower in PD children (2.6 x 10(9)/L), HD children (2.1 x 10(9)/L), and CRF children (2.0 x 10(9)/L) compared with healthy children (3.1 x 10(9)/L, p < 0.05). The B lymphocyte count was also lower in PD children (0.34 x 10(9)/L), HD children (0.22 x 10(9)/L), and CRF children (0.33 x 10(9)/L) compared with healthy children (0.52 x 10(9)/L, p < 0.01). Numbers of CD4+ T cells were not different, but numbers of CD8+ T cells were lower in PD children (0.56 x 10(9)/L), HD children (0.63 x 10(9)/L), and CRF children (0.53 x 10(9)/L) compared with healthy children (0.77 x 10(9)/L, p < 0.05). The count of natural killer cells was lower in PD children (0.21 x 10(9)/L), HD children (0.17 x 10(9)/L), and CRF children (0.18 x 10(9)/L) compared with healthy children (0.50 x 10(9)/L, p < 0.0001). The CD4/CD8 ratio of lymphocytes in peritoneal effluent was 0.8 versus 1.9 in peripheral blood (p < 0.001). The CD2/CD19 ratio was not different. The cell subsets remained stable during the first year of PD treatment. The CD2/CD19 ratio in peritoneal effluent was higher in children with a peritonitis incidence > or = 1 per year. CONCLUSIONS: The reduced numbers of B lymphocytes, CD8+ T cells, and natural killer cells found in CRF children, dialyzed or not, may favor the frequent occurrence of infections.

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