Elimination of hormones through hemofiltration.

The concentrations of testosterone, cortisone, gastrin, GIP, somatomedin B, insulin, HGH, and TSH have been determined in the plasma and the ultrafiltrate of five uremic patients undergoing intermittent hemofiltration treatment. There was a considerable loss of gastrin, GIP, somatomedin B, and insulin by hemofiltration treatment; the plasma concentrations, however, did not decrease. Cortisone, HGH, and TSH were not detectable in the ultrafiltrate. Our results therefore indicate that hemofiltration does not cause a hormone deficiency syndrome. On the contrary, the loss of degradation products of hormones with disturbing biological activity may be a favourable effect of the hemofiltration treatment.