Concentrations of branched amino acids: isoleucine, valine, leucine in serum of hemodialysis patients during one-year observation.

Malnutrition is commonly reported in haemodialysis patients (HD pts) and is multifactorial in origin. Previous studies indicated a possible relationship between plasma levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA): isoleucine, leucine, valine and nutritional status of HD pts. The BCAA have important influence on metabolism of energy in skeletal muscles, in addition the leucine makes easy the synthesis of protein. In the present investigation we evaluated some parameters of nutritional state and the concentration of branched-amino acids in haemodialysis patients during one-year observation. Sixty-seven patients undergoing haemodialysis were assessed in the first study (study I), after 12 months this assessment was repeated in 70 patients (study II). Blood was drawn before the midweek dialysis session. Morphology, plasma albumin concentration and urea for KT/V calculation were determined by routine methods. Branched amino acids were measured by chromatography method with amino acid analyser AAA 400, using a lithium-citric buffer system. The plasma amino acid pattern was measured in the study group and compared with 20 healthy persons. Mean amino acids concentration observed in both study groups was significantly lower than in the control group. Mean concentration of BCAA was also lower than in control group. There was a small negative correlation between albumin concentrations and the length of dialysis therapy. There were significant positive correlations between: total amino acids, branched amino acids as well as albumin, especially in study II.