Effects of alpha-lipoic acid on serum inflammatory factors and nutritional parameters in ESRD patients receiving hemodialysis

Objective To study the effects of alpha-lipoic acid on serum inflammatory factors, and nutritional parameters in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients receiving hemodialysis. Methods A total of 68 patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis in our hospital from September 2013 to September 2015 were recruited in our study and randomly divided into control group (n=34) and observation group (n=34). The control group received routine ESRD treatment and hemodialysis, while the observation group received alpha-lipoic acid treatment additionally on the basis of routine treatment. The serum levels of inflammatory factors (hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α), nutritional parameters (Hb, Alb, TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C), as well as serum Hcy, PTH, β2-MG in the two groups before and after treatment were collected and compared. Results After treatment, the serum levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in the two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment, and those were decreased more significantly in the observation (P<0.05). After treatment, serum Hb and Alb levels were significantly increased as compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and those were significantly higher in the observation group than those in the control group (P<0.05).The serum TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C levels had no significant change (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the above indexes of the control group before and after treatment (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in serum TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C levels between the two groups after treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the serum levels of Hcy, PTH and beta 2-MG in the two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment, more significantly in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions Alpha-lipoic acid used in ESRD patients receiving hemodialysis can effectively reduce the inflammation of kidney, improve the nutritional status of patients, and increase the clearance of Hcy, PTH and β2-MG, which has good clinical value and worthy of promotion.