Immune response to hepatitis B vaccine in hemodialysis patients.

The impaired immune reactivity of hemodialysis patients has been reported to interfere with adequate antibody responses to standard doses of hepatitis B vaccine. In 22 hemodialysis patients, however, a 92% conversion rate could be obtained by administering multiple doses of plasma-derived MSD-vaccine. As the cost of such an amplified vaccination schedule is still lower than the cost of one dialysis treatment, this active vaccination policy for highly susceptible patients appears financially justified.