title: Improved biocompatibility of bicarbonate/lactate-buffered PDF is not related to pH.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic exposure to conventional peritoneal dialysis fluid (PDF) is associated with functional and structural alterations of the peritoneal membrane. The bioincompatibility of conventional PDF can be due to hypertonicity, high glucose concentration, lactate buffering system, presence of glucose degradation products (GDPs) and/or acidic pH. Although various investigators have studied the sole effects of hyperosmolarity, high glucose, GDPs and lactate buffer in experimental PD, less attention has been paid to the chronic impact of low pH in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats received daily 10 ml of either conventional lactate-buffered PDF (pH 5.2; n=7), a standard bicarbonate/lactate-buffered PDF with physiological pH (n=8), bicarbonate/lactate-buffered PDF with acidic pH (adjusted to pH 5.2 with 1 N hydrochloride, n=5), or bicarbonate/lactate buffer, without glucose, pH 7.4 (n=7). Fluids were instilled via peritoneal catheters connected to implanted subcutaneous mini vascular access ports for 8 weeks. Control animals with or without peritoneal catheters served as control groups (n=8/group). Various functional (2 h PET) and morphological/cellular parameters were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with control groups and the buffer group, conventional lactate-buffered PDF induced a number of morphological/cellular changes, including angiogenesis and fibrosis in various peritoneal tissues (all parameters P<0.05), accompanied by increased glucose absorption and reduced ultrafiltration capacity. Daily exposure to standard or acidified bicarbonate/lactate-buffered PDF improved the performance of the peritoneal membrane, evidenced by reduced new vessel formation in omentum (P<0.02) and parietal peritoneum (P<0.008), reduced fibrosis (P<0.02) and improved ultrafiltration capacity. No significant differences were found between standard and acidified bicarbonate/lactate-buffered PDF. During PET, acidic PDF was neutralized within 15 to 20 min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The bicarbonate/lactate-buffered PDF, acidity per se did not contribute substantially to peritoneal worsening in our in vivo model for PD, which might be explained by the buffering capacity of the peritoneum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.zareie@vumc.nl
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zareie
authors.forename: Eelco D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Keuning
authors.forename: Piet M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: ter Wee
authors.forename: Casper G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Schalkwijk
authors.forename: Robert H J
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Beelen
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van den Born
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002021:Buffers; D015314:Dialysis Solutions / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009852:Omentum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011336:Probability; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D002021:Buffers; D015314:Dialysis Solutions; D019344:Lactic Acid