title: Erythropoietin treatment and amino acid metabolism in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: A previous report suggests that treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (rH-EPO) significantly improves many abnormalities in circulating amino acids (AA) in hemodialysis patients. We evaluated the effects of a 12-month treatment with rH-EPO (150-250 U/kg/week) on blood AA levels in 10 patients with chronic renal failure under regular dialytic treatment. During treatment, hemoglobin levels increased from 7.0 +/- 0.3 to 10.1 +/- 0.3 g/dl at 3 months remaining steady thereafter. Before the treatment, patients showed reduced levels of essential AA (EAA), mainly valine, leucine and threonine (p < 0.05-0.01); among non-EAA (NEAA), aspartate and serine were reduced, whereas glycine, alanine, proline, citrulline and cyst(e)ine were increased (p < 0.05-0.001). Val/Gly, Ser/Gly and Tyr/Phe ratios were low (p < 0.05-0.01). Total EAA and total NEAA (619 +/- 21 and 1,382 +/- 75 mumol/l, respectively, before the study) were unchanged (639 +/- 22 and 1,410 +/- 89 mumol/l, respectively) at 12 months. Abnormalities in AA levels observed before the treatment persisted throughout the study. Only serine increased at the end of the study (p < 0.05). In conclusion, contrary to what has been reported, treatment with rH-EPO is not associated with an amelioration of AA metabolism in hemodialysis patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garibotto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gurreri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robaudo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saffioti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Magnasco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sofia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marchelli
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sala
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000601:Amino Acids, Essential / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000601:Amino Acids, Essential; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin