title: Treatment of dialysis-induced hypotension with L-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine.
abstract: L-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine (L-DOPS), a precursor of noradrenaline (norepinephrine), which is converted into noradrenaline when orally administered, was given orally to haemodialysed patients exhibiting dialysis-induced hypotension. In five patients given 300 mg L-DOPS plasma concentrations reached a peak of 1.43 +/- 0.59 micrograms/ml 6 h after administration and decreased slowly to disappear after 36 h. Plasma noradrenaline concentrations showed a significant increase (P < 0.05), reaching a peak of 1.28 +/- 0.64 ng/ml after 24 h and declined to 0.75 +/- 0.47 ng/ml by 48 h. Administration of L-DOPS to six patients during dialysis for 6 consecutive weeks showed no accumulation in the blood. Oral administration of 200-400 mg L-DOPS to 34 patients 1 h before dialysis prevented dialysis-induced hypotension and decreased the number of concurrent treatments required for hypotension. The signs and symptoms of hypotension were improved in 73.5% of the patients and persisted after dialysis in 64.7%. The preventive effect of L-DOPS was significantly more prominent in patients with predialysis systolic blood pressure less than 100 mmHg and in patients with non-diabetic nephropathy. L-DOPS appeared to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for the prevention of dialysis-induced hypotension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Osaka Prefectural Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsubakihara
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015103:Droxidopa / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D015103:Droxidopa; D009638:Norepinephrine