Whole blood trace element concentrations during total parenteral nutrition.

Samples of whole blood in eight patients on long-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and in four who served as controls were analyzed for trace element concentrations of Au, Br, Cu, Mn, Cr, Sb, Fe, Zn, Co, Hg, Rb, and Se. The concentrations of essential elements in the patients deviated significantly from those in the control group. The Mn concentration in blood was consistently higher in patients, owing to the high Mn concentration in the nutrient solutions. A reciprocal relationship between Cu and Zn was demonstrated in one patient. Some trace element concentrations are correlated with the duration of malabsorption and the amount of oral intake during TPN. This study shows that patients on TPN may have abnormal trace element profiles and that TPN currently does not supply the necessary concentrations of trace elements.

Creatinine degradation I: the kinetics of creatinine removal in patients with chronic kidney disease.

The existence of an alternative route of excretion for creatinine in subjects with chronic renal failure has been demonstrated. The data presented in this study confirm the hypothesis that creatinine is converted into other metabolites, probably by action of the gut flora. Creatinine degradation was quantitated in a group of subjects that spanned a wide range of kidney functions from normal to no renal function. Five patients were analyzed who were on maintenance dialysis, five were predialysis and two subjects were normal with respect to kidney function. Creatinine degradation expressed as a percentage of production varied from 13.9 to 27.7% in the dialysis patients, 0 to 42.3% in the pre-dialysis patients and was 0% in the controls. Creatinine degradation was correlated with plasma creatinine degradation was correlated with plasma creatinine levels in predialysis (r = 0.73, p less than 0.01), but not in dialysis patients. No correlation was found between creatinine degradation and production in either group. It is concluded that significant amounts of creatinine are degraded in dialysis patients, and this removal mechanism must be accounted for in models of the patient-artificial kidney system.

Creatinine production rate measured by whole body counting of 40K.

The creatinine production rate in dialysis patients was measured by potassium-40 whole body counting and carbon-14 creatinine injection. The correlation coefficient for the two methods was 0.96, p less than 0.005. An equation predicting whole body potassium (WBK) for normal subjects was found to accurately predict the WBK of dialysis patients as well. Two equations predicting creatinine production from WBK were compared with measured production rates and were found to agree within experimental error. It is thus possible to use the predictive equations to accurately estimate creatinine production without resorting to experimental measurements. These findings should simplify the use of computer models of the patient-artificial kidney system where accurate estimations of creatinine production rates are essential.

Creatinine degradation. II: Mathematical model including the effect of extra-renal removal rates.

Previous models of the patient-artificial kidney system have neglected the contribution of creatinine degradation as a pathway for creatinine removal. Creatinine degradation can remove significant amounts of creatinine from dialysis patients, and models which neglect this mechanism are susceptible to error in predicting creatinine concentrations. In this study three models of the patient-artificial kidney system have been developed. The single pool model is the easiest to use since it requires a minimum of patient information, but it is the least accurate in predicting creatinine plasma concentrations. A two-pool model predicts experimental data within 5 percent, and appears to be the most useful model from the consideration of ease of use and accuracy. A three-pool model was derived that is suitable for use on a mini-computer or programmable calculator providing the device is capable of inverting a 3 x 3 matrix. The three-pool model predicts the measured plasma concentrations with 0.5 percent. These models provide a means to account for creatinine degradation and accurately predict creatinine concentrations in dialysis patients.