ABSTRACT
Background: Serum beta2MG (beta2-microglobulin) is an indicator of dialysis efficiency;however, it is also elevated in immune diseases and infections. The mRNA vaccines for corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported to produce stronger immune responses than conventional vaccines. In this study, we examined whether mRNA vaccination increases serum beta2MG levels in hemodialysis patients. Method(s): This was a single-center, case series study. A total of 23 maintenance hemodialysis patients who received Pfizer's vaccine (brand name: BioNTech SE) were included and observed between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. We analyzed changes in serum beta2MG levels before and after vaccination. The pre-vaccination beta2MG value (baseline) was measured within 3 months prior to the first vaccination, and the postvaccination beta2MG values were evaluated at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months. Result(s): Twenty-one patients were finally enrolled in this study. Fifteen (71.4%) patients were male, mean age was 70.7+/-12.8 years, and dialysis period was 5.3 (2.0 - 12.7) years (median, interquartile range). Some side effects were observed, fever in six cases (28.6%) and diarrhea in one case (4.8%). Serum beta2MG levels transiently increased from 27.6+/-5.7 mug/L to 32.1+/-8.4 mug/L before and after vaccination (P<0.001), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels also increased transiently from 0.24+/-0.37 mg/dL to 0.59+/-0.66 mg/dL before and after vaccination (P<0.05). These transient elevations were restored to baseline levels over time. Serum beta2MG and CRP levels showed no significant differences after 1 and 3 months compared with baseline. During this observational period, no patient had changes in dialysis condition, size or type of dialyzer, modality, and blood volume flow. Conclusion(s): In hemodialysis patients, a transient increase in serum beta2MG levels after vaccination may be caused by an immune response to vaccination and should be differentiated from worsened dialysis efficiency. (Figure Presented).
ABSTRACT
Ozone generators have attracted attention as a result of the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. In a questionnaire survey targeting healthcare facilities, 20 (91%) used ozone generators in patient areas, and five (23%) used them in indoor spaces occupied by people. A search for ozone generators on the Amazon Japan website revealed that 76% of products lacked information on ozone emission rate, coverage area and/or use time. These results suggest that ozone generators may be used inappropriately in hospitals and clinics, and have been sold to the general public without adequate information for assessing their safety and efficacy.