A Comparison between 1.36% and 3.86% Glucose Dialysis Solution for the Assessment of Peritoneal Membrane Function

Objective To assess peritoneal membrane function with respect to fluid transport, parameters of low molecular weight solute transport, and estimations of the function of peritoneal water channels, comparing the results from a 1.36%/1.5% glucose solution with those from a 3.86%/4.25% solution in standardized peritoneal function tests.Design The study was performed in 40 stable continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients [median age 50 years (range: 22 – 74 years); duration of CAPD 9 months (range: 2 – 45 months)] who underwent two standard peritoneal permeability analyses (SPAs) within 1 month. One SPA used 1.36% glucose; the other, 3.86% glucose. Mass transfer area coefficients (MTACs) and dialysate-to-plasma (D/P) ratios were compared for the two solutions. Also, two different methods of estimating aquaporin-mediated water transport were compared: the sieving of sodium (3.86% glucose) and the difference in net ultrafiltration (ΔNUF), calculated as NUF 3.86% SPA – NUF 1.36% SPA.Results Median NUF in the 1.36% glucose SPA was –46 mL (range: –582 mL to 238 mL); in the 3.86% SPA, it was 554 mL (range: –274 mL to 1126 mL). The median difference in NUF for the two SPAs was 597 mL (range: 90 – 1320 mL). No difference between the two solutions was seen for the MTAC of creatinine (11.4 mL/min for 1.36% vs 12.0 mL/min for 3.86%) and absorption of glucose (64% vs 65%, respectively). Also, D/P creatinine was not different: 0.77 (1.36%) and 0.78 (3.86%). However, the ratio of dialysate glucose at 240 minutes and at 0 minutes (D t /D 0 ) was 0.34 (1.36%) and 0.24 (3.86%), p < 0.01. Values of D/P creatinine from the two glucose solutions were strongly correlated. The intra-individual differences were small and showed a random distribution. Patient transport category was minimally influenced by the tonicity of the dialysate. The minimum D/P Na + (3.86%) was 0.884, and it was reached after 60 minutes. After correction for Na + diffusion, D/P Na + decreased to 0.849 after 120 minutes. The correlation coefficient between the diffusion-corrected D/P Na + and the ΔNUF was 0.49, p < 0.01. An inverse relationship was present between MTAC creatinine and D/P Na + ( p < 0.01) This correlation can be explained by the rapid disappearance of the osmotic gradient owing to a large vascular surface area. Such a correlation was not present between MTAC creatinine and ΔNUF.Conclusions We conclude that a standardized 4-hour peritoneal permeability test using 3.86%/4.25% glucose is the preferred method to assess peritoneal membrane function, including aquaporin-mediated water transport. The D/P Na + after correction for Na + diffusion is probably more useful for the assessment of aquaporin-mediated water transport than is ΔNUF obtained with 3.86%/ 4.25% and 1.36%/1.5% glucose-based dialysis solutions.