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The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of riluzole (Rilutek) treatment on plasma amino acids (AA) percentage capacity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Excitatory AA may be important in the pathogenesis of ALS. Riluzole is a neuroprotective drug that blocks glutamatergic neurotransmission in the central nervous system. The study was conducted at the Department of Neurology, University School of Medicine in Lublin. The study comprised 20 ALS patients. Plasma AA were measured by automated ion-exchange chromatography before and after 3 months of riluzole treatment. The study has shown a significant decrease in serine percentage capacity and a significant increase in isoleucine percentage capacity in the plasma of the ALS patients, however the plasma excitatory AA percentage capacity was not significantly changed after 3 months of the riluzole treatment. Our investigations revealed that riluzole does not significantly influence the majority of plasma AA percentage capacity in ALS patients.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of chronic renal failure as well as dialysate sodium concentration during haemodialysis on membrane ATPase activity and erythrocyte sodium and potassium concentration. Intracellular Na and K were not changed in patients when compared to normal subjects. There was, however, a significant decrease of Na-K-ATPase activity in patients versus controls. Erythrocyte sodium increased during haemodialysis with low and normal sodium dialysate. The present results suggest that sodium dialysate concentration has an influence on the intracellular cationic homeostasis.

In female Wistar rats with acute renal failure a decrease of noradrenaline concentration in the heart, spleen and kidney was ascertained. Noradrenaline concentration after alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine and 6-hydroxydopamine in the heart, spleen and kidney was significantly lower than in the control group. In the adrenals a decrease of catecholamine level after alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine and 6-hydroxydopamine has been noted in the controls. The changes in tissue noradrenaline concentration are evidence of a dysfunction in the adrenergic nervous system in uraemic rats.

The serum levels of lipids, apolipoproteins and lipoprotein ratios in 19 healthy persons and 20 patients with uraemia not dialyzed were determined. Based on creatinine level the patients were divided into two groups: L (serum creatinine 2-5 mg/dl) and H (serum creatinine 5-10 mg/dl). Dyslipoproteinaemia in uraemic patients is already manifested in the early stages of the disease through its abnormal apolipoproteins rather than lipid profile and it suggests a high risk of atherosclerosis.

Sympathetic, renin and kinin responses to an acetic and bicarbonate fluid in haemodialysed patients were investigated. Increases in dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity, PRA and kininogen levels were found during single dialysis but there was no difference in acetate and bicarbonate haemodialysis. The present results suggest that changes in sympathetic renin and kinin activity were similar in patients treated with either acetate or bicarbonate fluid.

CA levels, PRA, PAC responses to low and high sodium dialysates in haemodialysed patients were investigated. Increased levels of dopamine (DA), adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline (NA) were found during dialysis and ultrafiltration with high sodium dialysate (148 mEq/l), and significantly higher PRA with low sodium dialysate (131 mEq/l). PAC slightly but significantly decreased during dialysis with low sodium dialysate and significantly increased during ultrafiltration. The present results suggest that sodium dialysate concentration has a significant influence on the function of the autonomic system, PRA and PAC in haemodialysed patients.