Acid-base balance in peritoneal dialysis.

In patients without functioning kidneys, alkali replenishment is accomplished by the addition, via dialysis solution, of either HCO 3 - itself or a metabolic precursor of this anion, such as lactate. The body base balance in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is self-regulated by the feedback between plasma bicarbonate concentration and dialytic base gain. Dialytic base gain is the only source of buffer for PD patients and this gain should counteract the metabolic acid production. Dialytic base gain depends on peritoneal buffer fluxes (lactate reabsorption minus bicarbonate lost). The plasma bicarbonate level is determined by the dialytic base gain and the metabolic acid production. Bicarbonate buffered PD solution provides some advantages over the conventional lactate buffered PD solution.