The fasting plasma levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP), beta-endorphin (beta-END), methionine-enkephalin (m-ENK), beta-lipotropin (beta-LPH), and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) were measured by radioimmunoassay in 22 stable patients with chronic renal failure on regular hemodialysis treatment and compared with those of 10 healthy controls. The plasma concentrations of DSIP, beta-END, m-ENK, beta-LPH, and alpha-MSH were increased. The plasma level of CRH was not different from that of the controls. The elevated plasma levels of endogenous opioid peptides and DSIP may contribute to the uremic syndrome, although this must be further elucidated.