As a first step in the development of a future wearable artificial kidney, we conducted three forms of treatment with continuous haemofiltration (CHF) on a group of 10 patients in an attempt to determine what plasma values of small molecules and beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-M) could be maintained. In the first system, one ordinary 4-h haemodialysis, followed by 7-day CHF with 51 exchange per day, was repeated. The second system consisted of CHF with 51 exchange/day and thrice weekly slow nocturnal dialysis. The third system used CHF with 101 exchange per day. The first, second and third systems were used with three, four and four patients, respectively, for at least 4 weeks each. PAN-DX and FH-66 haemofilters were used eight and three times, respectively, with continuous infusion of heparin at 500-700 units/h. In the first system, the pre-CHF plasma beta 2-M was 45.5 +/- 3.1 mg/l, against a much lower 18.8 +/- 1.0 mg/l 4 weeks later. With the second system, this decrease was from 43.5 +/- 5.7 mg/l to 18.1 +/- 1.1 mg/l with 4 weeks treatment, and from 44.7 +/- 3.4 mg/l to 18.1 +/- 1.4 mg/l with 3 weeks treatment. Pre-haemodialysis treatment levels of urea nitrogen, plasma creatinine and uric acid in the first system were greater than ordinary pre-haemodialysis levels. On the second system, these were kept at -54 +/- 8.3%, -52.2 +/- 6.7% and -47.6 +/- 4.4% of the ordinary pre-haemodialysis levels, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

SummaryWith the intention of examining the effects of dietary protein and oil levels on total cholesterol (T-CHOL) and triacylglycerol (TG) concentrations in the plasma and liver, male Wistar rats, weighing about 170g, were fed diets containing graded levels of casein and corn oil for 2 wk. At the 5, 20, and 30% levels of dietary corn oil, plasma T-CHOL con centrations were generally enhanced in proportion to the rise of dietary casein level, but plasma TG contents were scarcely influenced by the level. At the 8 to 3 5% casein levels, plasma T-CHOL and TG concentrations were the highest at the 5% corn oil level, followed in order by the 20 and 30% levels of oil. At the 5 and 20% oil levels, hepatic T-CHOL contents were hardly changed at the 8 to 30% casein levels, but enhanced at the 35% casein level. At the 30% oil level, the T-CHOL contents tended to be changed proportionally to casein levels. At all levels of casein, hepatic T-CHOL contents tended to be relatively high at the 30% corn oil, middle at the 20% oil, and low at the 5% one. At each corn oil level, TG contents in the liver tended to be elevated at the 8 to 15% casein levels and highly preserved at the 15 to 25% ones. Then, the raised TG contents declined at the 5 and 20% levels of corn oil and re mained constant at the 30% oil. At each casein level, the contents of hepatic TG were gener ally high at the 30% oil level, followed in order by the 20 and 5% oil levels. These results in dicated that plasma and liver T-CHOL concentrations were proportionately enhaaced by the increase in casein level, and plasma TG contents were hardly affected by the level and he patic TG ones were lowered by relatively lower or higher casein level, and the rise in corn oil level generally reduced plasma T-CHOL and TG concentrations, but raised hepatic ones.