Oxidative stress is reduced by the long-term use of vitamin E-coated dialysis filters. 
Oxidative stress during hemodialysis is thought to promote the progression of vascular complications in hemodialysis patients.  The protective role of vitamin E as a lipophilic antioxidant against oxidative stress has been widely investigated.  Here we investigated the effects of a vitamin E-coated regenerated cellulose hollow fiber dialyzer (CL-EE) on oxidative stress compared with a polysulfone hollow fiber (CL-PS).  For at least three months before beginning the protocol, 10 nondiabetic (NDM) patients (70.0 +/- 7.5 years; 6 males and 4 females) and 8 diabetic (DM) patients (65.0 +/- 7.4 years; 4 males, 4 females) were dialyzed with CL-PS.  After that, we treated all of the patients with CL-EE for six months.  Malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were monitored as biomarkers for oxidative stress at the start and then at one, three, and six months into treatment with CL-EE.  Serum MDA, AGE, and 8-OHdG levels increased after the hemodialysis with CL-PS.  The increase of the biomarkers was completely prevented by a single use of CL-EE.  Long-term hemodialysis with CL-EE for six months significantly reduced the basal levels of the oxidant markers at one month for AGE and at six months for 8-OHdG in both DM and NDM patients.  Serum MDA was reduced in only DM patients at three months.  The improvement of the oxidative stress with CL-EE was more prominent in the DM patients.  Long-term treatment with CL-EE efficiently improves the oxidative stress associated with hemodialysis and potentially reduces dialysis complications due to oxidative stress.