Objective To investigate the effect of high-flux hemodialysis on insulin resistance and microinflammatory state in elderly diabetic nephropathy (DN) patients with maintenance hemodialysis(MHD).Methods A total of 49 elderly DN patients with MHD and 10 healthy controls undergoing health examination survey were enrolled.Levels of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR),interleukin-6(IL-6) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) were analyzed and compared between patients and the controls.Patients with MHD were randomly divided into two groups:high-flux hemodialysis(HFHD) group and low-flux hemodialysis (LFHD) group.Changes of the parameters including HOMA-IR,IL-6,hs CRP and urea excretion rate(kt/v) were observed before and after treatment for 12 months.Results Levels of IL-6,hs-CRP and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in DN patients with MHD than in the control group [(126.22±13.23)ng/L vs.(12.68±3.63)ng/L,(12.13±1.73)mg/L vs.(2.55±1.27) mg/L,(4.83 ±1.23) vs.(0.32 ± 0.15),respectively,all P＜ 0.01].The levels of IL-6 and Hs-CRP were positively correlated with HOMA-IR in elderly DN patients (R =0.656,0.729,R2 =0.43,0.532,both P＜0.01).Compared with before treatment,levels of fasting insulin(Fins),HOMA-IR and IL-6 were decreased in HFHD group after MHD for 12 months (all P＜ 0.05),while there were no differences in levels of Fins,HOMA-IR,IL-6 and hs-CRP in the LFHD group before and after MHD (all P＞0.05).The levels of Fins,HOMA-IR and IL-6 were significantly lower in the HFHD group than in the LFHD group after MHD for 12 months(all P＜0.05).Conclusions Insulin resistance and microinflammatory are common observed in elderly DN patients with MHD.High-flux hemodialysis may decrease the levels of IL-6 and hs-CRP,and ameliorate insulin resistance and microinflammatory state.