Case Control Study on Dialysis Arthropathy: The Influence of Two Different Dialysis Membranes: Data from the EDTA Registry

In a retrospective case control study the prevalence of signs and symptoms of dialysis osteoarthropathy was analysed. Cases and controls had received over 9 years of maintenance haemodialysis uninterrupted by peritoneal dialysis or transplantation. The cases comprised 55 patients treated predominantly with polyacrylonitrile (AN69) dialysers. They were compared to a matched group dialysed exclusively with cellulosic membranes. Over 60% of all patients, cases and controls, showed one or more signs of disabling osteoarthropathy, with joint pains occurring more frequently in the older age groups. Twenty-seven of the 55 cases who had received less than 2 years of cellulosic membrane dialysis followed by 7–12 years of AN69 dialysis tended to have a lower prevalence of joint pains, carpal-tunnel syndrome and bone cysts. However, no statistically significant differences were obtained compared to the matched control group dialysed exclusively on cellulosic membranes (mostly cuprophane). The remaining 28 cases, who had been treated for more than 2 years with cellulosic membranes preceding the longer treatment period with polyacrylonitrile dialysers, showed a prevalence similar to that of their cellulosic controls. This study thus shows little, if any, influence of the two types of membranes on the prevalence of signs and symptoms of β2-microglobulin amyloidosis.