Lack of isoprene overproduction during peritoneal dialysis.

Objective: Isoprene is the constitutive unit of isoprenoid lipids and sterols. However, it is also a potential toxic and carcinogenic agent. Recent findings of a marked and prolonged isoprene overproduction induced by hemodialysis sessions raises the question of isoprene behavior in patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Left ventricular hypertrophy in daily dialysis.

Cardiac hypertrophy, a well-known independent risk factor for cardiovascular death, is a very frequent complication in ESRD patients. Its frequency tends to be even higher in dialyzed patients due to the fact that the current dialytic treatments are unable to keep under a satisfactory control the various responsible factors and particularly the blood pressure, which is largely the most important. Daily hemodialysis, a more frequent schedule consisting of 6-7 sessions/week lasting 2 or more hours, has definitely proved its superiority in controlling blood pressure and in improving anemia, and thus has the requisites for positively influencing cardiac hypertrophy.

Clinical experience with a 39 mmol/L bicarbonate-buffered peritoneal dialysis solution.

Objective: To investigate the effect on the patient's acid-base status of a 39 mmol/L bicarbonate-buffered continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) solution.

Design: This was an open, controlled, cross-over, two-center study in 9 patients. After three months of treatment with a 34 mmol/L bicarbonate-buffered solution (t0) patients were switched to a 39 mmol/L bicarbonate-containing solution for four weeks.

Bicarbonate versus lactate buffer in peritoneal dialysis solutions: the beneficial effect on RBC metabolism.

Objective: Using the erythrocyte as a model for other kinds of cells not directly exposed to peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions, we investigated the tolerance of the cell metabolism to lactate and bicarbonate buffers.

Design: We studied, in vivo (in two groups of 5 PD patients each) and in vitro, the Embden-Meyerhof pathway (EMP) because it represents a potential target for the unphysiological effects of lactate or bicarbonate buffers. The EMP is the main glucose-utilizing route in the red blood cell (RBC), producing energy and reducing power.