Objective       To analyze the expression level of miR-30a in the serum of patients with chronic renal failure before and after dialysis

and assess its role of miR-30a in the evaluation of dialysis effect for the patients.      Methods       Forty patients with chronic renal failure admitted in our department from October 2012 to December 2013 were recruited in this study. Their blood samples were obtained before or after dialysis. The total RNAs were extracted from the serum samples by mirVana PARIS Kit

and the expression of miR-30a was detected by quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The serum levels of urea nitrogen (Ur) and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) were measured by biochemical assay. Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze serum miR-30a expression before or after dialysis with the levels of Ur and β2-MG. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the value of miR-30a in distinguishing the patients before dialysis from those after dialysis.      Results       The levels of miR-30a

Ur and β2-MG were significantly lower in the serum of patients after dialysis than the values before dialysis (P0.05

P0.01). ROC curve revealed that the cutoff value was 0.25 (after dialysis/before dialysis) for the serum level of miR-30a

indicating a better dialysis effect.      Conclusion       miR-30a is a novel biomarker in the evaluation of dialysis effect in the patients with chronic renal failure.