title: Membrane biocompatibility does not affect whole body protein metabolism during dialysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Protein-calorie malnutrition is present in 30-50% of dialysis patients. The lack of biocompatibility of the dialysis membrane, which results in low-grade inflammation, could be responsible for this malnutrition. We investigated whether protein-energy malnutrition could be partly due to incompatibility of the dialyzer during the dialysis session.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients were dialyzed during 2 periods of 3 weeks (cross-over) with either a single-use low-flux polysulfone or cellulose triacetate (biocompatible) or a single-use cuprophan (bio-incompatible) membrane. As a measure of whole body protein metabolism, a primed constant infusion of L-[1-(13)C]-valine was used during a 4-hour dialysis session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cuprophan was a more powerful activator of the complement system than other membranes. Protein metabolism parameters during both study protocols were not different and resulted in the same protein balance during polysulfone/cellulose triacetate (-15 +/- 3) and cuprophan (-13 +/- 2 micromol/kg/h) dialysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In stable hemodialysis patients with no apparent complications, protein metabolism during dialysis is not affected by the compatibility of the dialysis membrane.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University Hospital Groningen, NL-9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jorden M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Veeneman
authors.forename: Hermi A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kingma
authors.forename: Frans
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stellaard
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: Dirk-Jan
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Reijngoud
authors.forename: Roel M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Huisman
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006435:Renal Dialysis
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011506:Proteins