The effects of hemodialysis on blood glutamate levels in chronic renal failure: implementation for neuroprotection.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to investigate whether hemodialysis (HD) is effective in lowering blood glutamate levels. In addition, we examined the effect of HD on glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) levels in the blood and described the rate and pattern of blood glutamate clearance during HD.

Materials And Methods: Blood samples were taken from 45 patients with stage V chronic kidney disease immediately after initiation of HD and hourly, for a total of 5 blood samples.