Effect of Short-Term Essential Amino Acid-Containing Dialysate in Young Children on CAPD

In young children on CAPD, hypoproteinemia and malnutrition are often observed. We used essential amino acid-containing dialysate (EMD) to assess short-term effectiveness on serum amino acid concentrations in young children undergoing CAPD. EMD consisted of a 540 ml, 1.5% glucose-containing dialysate and 100 ml of 7.4% essential amino acid (EM) solution. Aside from methionine, all serum EM rose during the 6 hour peritoneal dialysis cycle using EMD, peaking at about 200% of pre-treatment level one hour after start of treatment. They then returned to near pre-treatment levels at the end of the cycle. However, serum methionine increased 680% of pre-treatment level, one hour after start and 390% at the end of the cycle. In the serum non-EM tyrosine, which showed low levels in patients with chronic renal failure, increased after EMD treatment. Other non-EM, most of which showed increased levels in patients with chronic renal failure, decreased after EMD treatment. These changes in serum amino acids suggest that EM, absorbed from EMD, may have increased uptake of non-EM in protein synthesis. This may improve the nutritional status of young children on CAPD.