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The Decline in Serum Albumin after Conversion to High Flux, High Efficiency Dialysis
Author(s) -
Kirschbaum Barry
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
artificial organs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1525-1594
pISSN - 0160-564X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1594.1994.tb03310.x
Subject(s) - dialysis , chemistry , hypoalbuminemia , nitrogen balance , albumin , uric acid , urea , nitrogen , medicine , protein catabolism , serum albumin , hemodialysis , catabolism , blood urea nitrogen , polysulfone , endocrinology , amino acid , chromatography , biochemistry , metabolism , creatinine , organic chemistry , membrane
Hypoalbuminemia among chronic hemodialysis patients is recognized as a poor prognostic sign. We observed that many of our chronic patients had a progressive decrease in their plasma albumin concentrations after they were converted to high flux, high efficiency dialysis from conventional dialysis mode. This change occurred in the absence of changes in the KTIV and protein catabolic rate (per) normalized to body mass. When nitrogen losses were measured, we found no difference in the dialysate concentrations of urea, alpha amino nitrogen, uric acid, or total nitrogen when high flux polysulfone was compared with high efficiency Cuprophan. While urea was the predominant nitrogen solute in all dialysate samples, there were some with a large gap between total and urea nitrogen. Alpha amino nitrogen losses, expressed as leucine equivalents, were substantial, ranging from 8. 4 to 9. 8 g/3. 5 h dialysis treatment. We believe that the increased losses of nitrogen experienced by patients after their conversion to a more efficient method of dialysis and not compensated for by a spontaneous increased intake of protein led to the observed fall in plasma albumin. Both urea and amino acid nitrogen losses need to be accounted for when achievement of higher KTIV dialysis is pursued.