Plasma Concentration of Galanin in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

Galanin has diverse physiological functions, including nociception, arousal/sleep regulation, congnition, and many aspects of neuroendocrine activities that are associated with feeding, energy metabolism, thermoregulation, osmotic and water balance, and reproduction. In an attempt to clarify the metabolic profile of circulating galanin in blood, we examined plasma galanin concentration in patients with end-stage renal disease undergone hemodialysis. Our data document that galanin levels were reduced compare to post-dialysis levels and highlight an altered metabolic profile of galanin in renal failure.