E-Thesis 531 views 154 downloads
Analysing the Red Blood Cell Adhesion to the Dialysis Membrane Using the Flow Cell System: Analysis of the Polysulfone and polyethersulfone topography / PATRICK JOLOMBA
Swansea University Author: PATRICK JOLOMBA
Abstract
Background. Red blood cell (RBC) survival in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients contributes to their anaemia. It has been suggested that the toxic uremic environment accounts for the decreased RBC life span in this group of patients (Vos et al., 2011). These patients are also treated with Haemodi...
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Swansea
2020
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| Institution: | Swansea University |
| Degree level: | Master of Research |
| Degree name: | MSc by Research |
| Supervisor: | Meissner, Kenith |
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59716 |
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| Abstract: |
Background. Red blood cell (RBC) survival in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients contributes to their anaemia. It has been suggested that the toxic uremic environment accounts for the decreased RBC life span in this group of patients (Vos et al., 2011). These patients are also treated with Haemodialysis (HD), which is argued to contribute to comorbidities such as anemia. The contribution of mechanical damage caused by the extracorporeal devices and the dialysis membranes to the shortened life span of the RBC is still unclear. However, the minimised percentage of the RBC of up to 70% in RBC survival has been reported in CKD patients undergoing Haemodialysis (Vos et al., 2011). To contribute to this field, this study focused on exploring the adhesiveness of the RBC to the dialysis membrane material. This scientific curiosity was triggered by the researcher observing that some dialysis membranes remained pinkish in colour following a dialysis session while others were not, despite rinsing these materials with the same volume of the dialysate solution, or 0.9% of sodium chloride. Currently, there are many different synthetic dialysis membranes in wide use that are made with some of the following polymers: polyethersulfone, polyacrylonitrile, polyamide, polysulfone and their copolymers. It should be noted that whilst these are all generally in use, it has been observed by the researcher that the most popular ones tend to be the polysulfone and the polyethersulfone, hence this study focusing primarily on these two. Dialysis is a scientific procedure that is based on selective separation by diffusion of molecules across a semi-permeable membrane to separate molecules based on their size and weight. This scientific technique is used for a wide variety of applications such as blood purification, virus purification and water treatment. In blood purification, a buffer solution called the dialysate is placed on the opposite sides of a dialysis membrane which contains pores of a varying size range depending on the molecules to be separated. Molecules that are larger than the pores are retained on the inner side of the membrane, but small molecules pass through the membrane pores, reducing the concentration of those molecules (Hakim, Fearon and Lazarus, 1984). Methods. The aim of this study is to investigate the adhesiveness of the red blood cells (RBC) to the polysulfone (PSU) and polyethersulfone (PESU) material used in Haemodialysis. A flow cell system that resembles the HD procedure was put together for the RBC to flow on the PSU, PESU and the glass slide (control) over a period of three hours. At the end of the three-hour period, an optical microscope was used to count and assess the number of RBCs adhering to the surface of these materials. The surface topography of these materials were studied using the Peak Force Atomic Force microscope (PK-AFM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and the Goniometer, to investigate the surface roughness, similarities and dissimilarities between these membranes and wettability. Results. The t-test was performed to compare adhesion results of the RBC to these materials. A Mann-Whitney nonparametric test was applied to compare the distributions of unmatched groups. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Correlation was calculated with Spearman correlation coefficient and p-value (P > 0.05). The AFM and SEM affirmed and quantified that these membranes appeared to be different. They were both confirmed to be hydrophobic, while the glass (control) was hydrophilic. However, there was no obvious significant statistical difference between polysulfone membrane and polyethersulfone membrane adhesion to the RBC. Conclusion. Despite lack of the significant statistical difference in the RBC adhesion between the PSU and PESU, there was a clear trend that the RBC adhered more to the rougher material (PESU) than the less rough (PSU). Hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of the material did not seem to have an impact on the RBC adhering to the surface of these materials. |
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| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |