The performance of a membrane in renal failure therapy is determined by its structure, its overall mass transfer properties, and its blood compatibility. In this regard. removal of P2-microglobulin (P2M) has become a major objective of dialysis therapy. In the present study, a newly developed high-flux membrane composed of a polyester-polymer alloy (PEPA) with the components of polyarylate and polyethersulfone (dialyzer FLX-12 GW; Nikkiw Co.. Japan) has been evaluated with regard to both biocompatibility and elimination capacity for P2M during hemodialysis of 8 stable chronic uremic patients.The clearance values of low molecular weight solutes were in the came range as those reported for high-flux dialyzers of comparable surface area. There was no drop in leukocyte counts and only a minimal fall in platelet counts nearly in the same range as has been observed by other investigators using polyamide membrane. C3a Des Arg generation was low, and C5a Des Arg formation was not significantly influenced. There was a sharp drop in the serum P2M level (-35%) during dialysis with a clearance between 59.7 t 5.6 mlimin ((2, 200 ml/min) and 70.1 t 9.7 mlimin (Qe 300 mlimin), respectively. Accordingly, the sieving coefficient was calculated to be 0.2 at 30 min after start of dialysis and 0.6 I h later. The membrane was able to remove 184.0 ? 22.3 mg/4 h due t o an apparent rate of adsorption during the first hour of treatment in combination with high transmembrane transfer in the following time. Key Words: High-flux dialysis membrane-Polyester-polymer alloy-Biocompatibility-& Microglobulin removal.~
