Effects of Mesna on Homocysteine in Kidney Failure

The purpose of this research study is to examine the effect of a drug called mesna on the removal of homocysteine from blood during dialysis. Homocysteine is an amino acid (protein building block) found in the blood of all people, however it is considerably elevated in dialysis patients. People with increased levels of homocysteine in their blood are at increased risk of developing plaque buildup in their arteries and other related problems such as heart attack and stroke. This study will determine if mesna can improve the rate of homocysteine removal from blood during dialysis.