Metabolic correction of plasma aminogram by pig or baboon liver cross-hemodialysis with an interposed membrane.

Our previous reports have shown that the patients with both grade 4 hepatic coma and arterial blood ketone body ratio (BKBR) of over 0.25 became fully alert after treatment by pig or baboon liver cross-hemodialysis, while those with BKBR below 0.25 died of hepatic coma without increase of BKBR. The present study shows the changes in plasma amino acids (AA) in 8 patients after treatment by cross-hemodialysis and itnravenous infusion of Fisher's solution. In all patients, the ratio of tyrosine plus phenylalanine to total AA concentration decreased (p = 0.012), and the AA molar ratio increased significantly (p = 0.007). In unrecovered patients, total AA and branched chain AA increased after cross-hemodialysis, while in the recovered patients total AA did not increase significantly. It is suggested that this metabolic support is effective in reducing the plasma levels of aromatic AA mainly oxidized in the liver, as long as BKBR remained over 0.25.