Search

Chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD), widely used in uremic children, may have contrasting effects on the nutritional status of patients. Metabolic and nutritional abnormalities due to the combined effects of uremia perse, glucose absorption from the dialysate and catabolic factors, such as protein and amino acid losses into dialysate, poor appetite, and recurrent episodes of peritonitis are the most important.Although CPD allows for fewer dietary restrictions and supplies an extra amount of calories by glucose absorbed with the peritoneal fluid, when protein and energy intakes are assessed the protein intake was almost sufficient or more than that prescribed, whereas the energy intake was low.In CPD children the standard deviation score for weight, height, triceps skinfold thickness, and midarm circumference has been reported as more severely impaired in children less than ten years old. Anthropometric parameters did not worsen during CPD treatment.Plasma proteins and albumin are reported as being low in CPD children. The dietary intake and protein losses have been considered to be the most important determinants of the albumin level in CPD patients.The reported average dialysate losses of free amino acids (AA) during CPD in children vary from 0.02 to 0.03 g/kg/day in different studies. The patterns of plasma AA in CPD is represented by reduced levels of branched chain AA and of other essential amino acids and increased concentrations of some nonessential AA. Several factors may influence plasma AA profile: uremia perse, hormonal alterations, protein and AA losses, and dietary intake. A more specific uremic AA pattern is found in muscle, the largest pool of free AA in the body. Studies on muscle AA in adults on CPD are conflicting: some authors have reported several muscle AA alterations, but others have shown an almost normal pattern. Low valine and leucine muscle levels have been reported in children on CPD.

Chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD), widely used in uremic children, may have contrasting effects on the nutritional status of patients. Metabolic and nutritional abnormalities due to the combined effects of uremia perse, glucose absorption from the dialysate and catabolic factors, such as protein and amino acid losses into dialysate, poor appetite, and recurrent episodes of peritonitis are the most important.Although CPD allows for fewer dietary restrictions and supplies an extra amount of calories by glucose absorbed with the peritoneal fluid, when protein and energy intakes are assessed the protein intake was almost sufficient or more than that prescribed, whereas the energy intake was low.In CPD children the standard deviation score for weight, height, triceps skinfold thickness, and midarm circumference has been reported as more severely impaired in children less than ten years old. Anthropometric parameters did not worsen during CPD treatment.Plasma proteins and albumin are reported as being low in CPD children. The dietary intake and protein losses have been considered to be the most important determinants of the albumin level in CPD patients.The reported average dialysate losses of free amino acids (AA) during CPD in children vary from 0.02 to 0.03 g/kg/day in different studies. The patterns of plasma AA in CPD is represented by reduced levels of branched chain AA and of other essential amino acids and increased concentrations of some nonessential AA. Several factors may influence plasma AA profile: uremia perse, hormonal alterations, protein and AA losses, and dietary intake. A more specific uremic AA pattern is found in muscle, the largest pool of free AA in the body. Studies on muscle AA in adults on CPD are conflicting: some authors have reported several muscle AA alterations, but others have shown an almost normal pattern. Low valine and leucine muscle levels have been reported in children on CPD.

The changes in plasma and dialysate amino acids (AA) in 7 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) children after dialysis with a 1% AA solution were compared with a glucose-containing solution. During the AA exchange, the plasma levels of individual AA reached their peaks after 1 h, with their percentage increments significantly correlated (p< 0.001) with the ratio of the amount of AA in the bag to the basal plasma concentration. The plasma concentration of methionine, valine, phenylalanine, and isoleucine remained higher than the basal value at 4 h. The amount of AA absorbed was 66% after 1 h, and 86% after 4 h and 6 h, corresponding to 2574 ± 253 μmollkgbody wt. During glucose-dialysis (1.36%), levels of histidine, methionine, valine, phenilal-anine, and isoleucine were significantly decreased in plasma after 1 h, and stayed low throughout the dialysis period. The loss of AA with the peritoneal effluent was 116 ± 69 μmol/kg/body wt.From this study, it seems that using an AA dialysis solution, with 1 exchange per day, might limit the daily glucose load and compensate for AA losses by supplying an extra amount of AA and by reducing the loss of other AA not contained in dialysis solutions. The AA pattern in plasma following AA-dialysis resembles that observed after a protein meal, with no signs of persistently high, nonphysiological levels.