Vitamin status of pediatric patients receiving long-term peritoneal dialysis

The oral vitamin intakes and concentrations of vitamins in blood of eight children on long-term peritoneal dialysis and six control children were measured. All patients received a daily supplement containing water-soluble vitamins. Serum concentrations of vitamin A, vitamin B-12, ascorbic acid, and folic acid and dialysate concentrations of ascorbic acid were determined. Thiamin and riboflavin were assessed by measuring erythrocyte enzyme activities. Vitamin B-6 was measured as plasma pyridoxal phosphate. Dietary vitamin intake was determined with weighed 3-d food records. The dialysis patients had significantly greater stores of vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxal phosphate, and folic acid than did the control population (P less than or equal to 0.01). The patients' combined dietary and supplemental intake of all vitamins except ascorbic acid was also significantly greater than the intake of the control group (P less than 0.01). Vitamin supplementation is associated with normal or greater-than-normal values of water-soluble vitamins in pediatric patients receiving long-term peritoneal dialysis.