Long-term effects of essential amino acids supplementation in patients on regular dialysis treatment.

18 patients on RDT receiving a high caloric diet with daily protein intake of 1 g/kg body wt demonstrated a decreased serum concentration of total protein, albumin, transferrin and several components of the complement system (except C4). Long-term administration (60 weeks) of essential amino acids (EAA) and histidine at the end of each hemodialysis improved the serum concentrations of the investigated proteins, whereas the serum concentration of inorganic phosphorus decreased slightly. Interruption of the EAA therapy for 16 weeks in the 13 patients studied resulted in a decrease of transferrin and various factors of the complement system.