The Effect of Pomegranate Juice on Oxidative Stress in Hemodialysis Patients

The mortality rate in patients with end stage renal failure is substantially higher than in the general population, and deaths are mainly attributable to cardiovascular diseases and infections. There is accumulating evidence that supports the role for oxidative stress in damaging the immune system and in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases in hemodialysis patients, therefore antioxidative treatment, which will reduce oxidative stress, may be beneficial. Pomegranate juice contains antioxidants such as soluble polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins and was shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti- bacterial and anti-atherosclerotic properties in mice and humans. However,the effects of pomegranate juice on oxidative stress, infections and cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients are still not documented. This is a randomized preventive intervention trial on hemodialysis patients from one dialysis centre in Israel. The patients will be enrolled and randomized to receive pomegranate juice or placebo. Patients will be followed for one year. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of pomegranate juice (PJ) consumption by hemodialysis patients on the changes in oxidative stress and the incidence of infections, cardiovascular events and mortality.