Investigating the effect of serum level of uric acid on the immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccination in dialysis patients

Abstract

HBV infection is a significant concern in dialysis patients, influenced by various factors. This study aims to investigate the impact of serum uric acid levels on the immunogenicity of hepatitis Bvaccination in dialysis patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 125 hemodialysis patients. Prior to dialysis, assessments were made for uric acid, vitamin D, HBsAg, andHBsAb. Patients were divided into two groups based on uric acid levels: high level (≥ 6.5 mg/dl) and low level (< 6.5 mg/dl). Each group received three doses of a high-dose hepatitis B vaccine (40 mcg) at 0, 1, and 6 months. After 8 weeks of the 3rd dose of the vaccine, the anti-hepatitis B antibody titer (HBsAb) was measured and recorded. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Among patients with high uric acid, 30 (26.8%) had low HBsAb and 82 (73.2%) had high HBsAb (> 10). In patients with low uric acid, 1 (7.7%) had low HBsAb and 12 (92.3%) had high HBsAb (> 10). There was no statistically significant difference inHBsAb between the two groups. The immune response of HBsAb and uric acid did not show significance based on demographic variables and laboratory results. This study found no correlation between uric acid levels and the immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccination in hemodialysis patients. However, it is important to note that the group with low serum uric acid was very small compared to the other group and this may have influenced these results. Further studies with larger patient populations are needed to provide more conclusive evidence in this area.