Impact of low-dose urokinase in peritoneal dialysis on serum oxidative stress, nitric oxide and endothelin in cerebral infarction complicated with uremia.

BACKGROUND Cerebrovascular accident is an important cause of death in patients with chronic renal failure. METHODS This study evaluated the interference of low-dose urokinase in peritoneal dialysis solution on uremic serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin (ET) dynamics in patients with a cerebral infarction complicated by uremia. RESULTS Both the urokinase and conventional treatment groups showed decreased SOD activities, increased MDA content, and elevated serum NO and ET levels at the initiation stage of treatment. Antiplatelet and cerebral protection therapy slightly reduced body MDA content and increased SOD activity at the early stage of treatment, and its effects on reducing serum NO and ET-1 are also limited. CONCLUSION Our results revealed that a small amount of urokinase in peritoneal dialysis can reduce body MDA content, increase SOD activity and decrease serum levels of NO and ET-1 at the early stage of cerebral infarction complicated by uremia. We also found that continuous treatment for 8 weeks may provide a potential treatment of cerebral infarction complicated with uremia.