Inflammatory markers in chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease patients.

BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is condition characterized by a gradual loss of kidney function, patient with CKD suffering from a variety of immune system defects. METHODS This study looked at Fas, T cell, BCl2, and P53 activity in people with CKD, end stage renal disease (ESRD), and stable controls. RESULTS The CD4+ and CD8+ levels in ESRD patients' peripheral blood were slightly lower than those in CKD patients. The CKD and ESRD groups had slightly higher Fas and FasL mRNA expression and slightly lower BCl2 mRNA gene expression than the normal control group (P < 0.05). P53 mRNA gene expression was shown to be higher in the patients than in the controls (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS ESRD patients have a significantly lower number of T-cell subsets than CKD patients this is related to a higher degree of apoptosis in these cells.