In vitro compatibility of a 1.1% amino acid containing peritoneal dialysis fluid with phagocyte function.

The effects of a recently introduced peritoneal dialysis fluid (PDF) containing amino acids (AA) were compared with those of a glucose-based PDF (G-PDF) on viability and function of donor granulocytes (PMNs) in vitro. After 30 min incubation in the PDF, viability, assessed by trypan blue exclusion, and phagocytosis capacity (PC), tested in two assays using a fluorescein and a 3H-labeled Staphylococcus epidermidis strain, were significantly better in AA-PDF than in G-PDF (p < 0.002 in the 3H-assay). Bactericidal activity was not different in the PDFs. If pH of G-PDF was adjusted from 5.2 to neutral, differences in PC disappeared. In AA-PDF, PMN chemiluminescence (CL) response was significantly higher than in G-PDF (p < 0.003). At neutral pH, however, PMNs showed a significant stronger CL-response in 1.36% G-PDF than in AA-PDF (p < 0.05). These data suggest that this AA-PDF has little detrimental effect on phagocyte viability and function. The improved compatibility over G-PDF in in vitro tests seems to be pH dependent. The reduced chemiluminescence response compared to 1.36% G-PDF with neutral pH is possibly due to quenching by (one of the) amino acids and osmolarity.