Effect of dialysis on serum carnitine, free fatty acids, and triglyceride levels in man and the rat.

Serum free carnitine, free fatty acid and triglyceride values were followed in patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance dialysis therapy. During dialysis a decrease in serum carnitine was documented. Whereas the elevated triglyceride concentration remained constant, there was a sharp rise in free fatty acids during the dialysis procedure. This pattern occurred whether patients were subjected to hemodialysis or intermittent peritoneal dialysis. Peritoneal dialysis was performed in a rat model and produced results similar to those observed in human subjects. Furthermore, it could be demonstrated that peritoneal dialysis initiated the hypertriglyceridemia in the otherwise normal animal within a short time period. Whereas the abnormalities observed in carnitine and fatty acid metabolism may or may not be causally related in rat or man, they both seem to result from dialysis therapy.