RESUMO
The aim of this work was to study the serum levels of B2m and Clq in hemodialysis [HD] patients and their relation to carpal tunnel syndrome [CTS] as a manifestation of dialysis related amyloidosis [DRA] and to investigate the role of B2m in the development of DRA. Clq and B2m were studied in the sera of 32 uremic patients on regular HD treatment. They were divided into two groups: Group I included 12 HD patients with clinical and electrophysiological manifestations of CTS and in whom amyloid deposition was identified during release surgery, group II comprised 20 HD patients with no evidence of clinical or electrophysiological CTS and group three included ten healthy control subjects. The results showed that serum levels of both B2m and Clq were significantly elevated in all HD patients in the two groups when compared with the controls. Serum Clq was significantly higher in HD patients of group I than in patients of group II, while serum B2m was elevated in both groups of I and II without a statistical difference. Serum B2m in patients of group I and II was 30.7 mg/L +/- 2.8 and 29.6 mg/L +/- 2.2, respectively. Immunohistochemical assay of biopsies taken during decompression surgery was positive for B2m in all patients of group I. The results suggested that Clq may contribute to DRA and serum Clq may be a reliable predictor for the diagnosis of DRA