Effects of acetate or bicarbonate dialysis solutions on serum HDL and HDL subfractions of patients undergoing haemodialysis

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of acetate- and bicarbonate -containing dialysis solutions (buffers) on serum lipid (triglyceride and t otal cholesterol) and lipoprotein (LDL, HDL and its subfractions as HDL2 an d HDL3, Apolipoprotein A1 and Apolipoprotein B) values in patients undergoi ng haemodialysis. Lipid concentrations in 16 patients on bicarbonate and in 18 patients on acetate haemodialysis were investigated initially and after four weeks of dialysis treatment. Over four weeks of treatment both acetat e and bicarbonate dialysis treatments had no negative effects on either HDL or HDL subfractions, and these buffering systems were indistinguishable fr om each other. We confirm that HDL is the major factor that is changed in t he lipid profile in haemodialysis patients undergoing acetate or bicarbonat e dialysis and suggest that the relation between LDL and HDL subfractions m ay be useful for monitoring the lipid changes in haemodialysis patients at risk of atherogenesis.