Glucoregulatory hormones and choice of osmotic agent in peritoneal dialysis.

Objective: The present study was performed to explore the range of effects of amino acid-based peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions on glucoregulatory hormones in comparison with an osmotically equivalent glucose-based solution. ♢

Methods: 13 adult nondiabetic patients on PD underwent 2 peritoneal dwells of 2 hours' duration with either 1.5% dextrose solution or 1.1% amino acid solution. Serial sampling for glucoregulatory hormones was done throughout the duration of the dwell. ♢

Results: Instillation of the 1.5% dextrose solution resulted in a modest change in plasma glucose, paralleled by a small increase in plasma insulin levels and plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). Plasma glucagon was not changed and plasma growth hormone level declined. Instillation of the 1.1% amino acid solution resulted in an increase in plasma glucose, plasma insulin, plasma glucagon, and plasma IGF-1. Plasma growth hormone level declined. Both solutions led to an increase in plasma norepinephrine but no changes were observed in epinephrine or dopamine. ♢

Conclusions: Our observations suggest that the mere replacement of glucose by amino acids in PD solutions does not necessarily imply "glucose sparing" from the perspective of induction of a glucoregulatory hormonal response because of the aminogenic stimulation of secretion of multiple hormones.