STOCKHOLM, Sweden--Amino acid (AA) levels are depleted in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), due to inflammation and/or malnutrition associated with the illness, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (82, 2:342-349, 2005).
Scientists monitored serum concentrations of AAs, serum albumin, and various inflammatory markers in 200 fasting, non-diabetic CKD patients prior to renal replacement therapy. Subjects with inflammation or malnutrition had lower AA concentrations than patients with no inflammation or malnutrition. Individuals with both inflammation and malnutrition had lower AA concentrations than subjects with malnutrition alone. Plasma concentrations of most essential and nonessential AAs were inversely correlated with inflammatory markers, whereas serum albumin concentrations were positively related to several AA concentrations. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) concentrations (a marker of inflammation) were independently associated with low concentrations of both nonessential AAs and all AAs. An analysis of all-cause mortality indicated patients with higher AA concentrations had significantly better survival rates than subjects with lower AA concentrations.
The researchers concluded plasma AA levels are low in CKD patients with inflammation and inversely linked with serum concentrations of inflammatory markers. CRP concentrations were independently associated with low concentrations of both nonessential AAs and all AAs, they added, suggesting inflammation may be an independent cause of low plasma AA concentrations in CKD patients.
Email this article
Add a comment
Printer version
Order reprints
RSS Feed
Bookmark article