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Published on: June 25, 2010
Vitamin B6 status in uremia
F J Laso Guzmán1, J M González-Buitrago, R Vela
1Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Clinico Universitario, Salamanca, Spain.
Uremic patients, especially those on hemodialysis, often have vitamin B6 deficiency. Supplementation with pyridoxine hydrochloride improved vitamin B6 status and enzyme activity in these patients.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Nephrology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Chronic renal insufficiency and its treatment, such as hemodialysis, can disrupt vitamin B6 status.
- Vitamin B6 is crucial for various enzymatic functions, including those involving aspartate aminotransferase.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess vitamin B6 status in uremic patients undergoing hemodialysis and those not on dialysis.
- To evaluate the efficacy of pyridoxine hydrochloride supplementation in correcting vitamin B6 deficiency and improving enzyme activity.
Main Methods:
- Assessed vitamin B6 status using erythrocyte aspartate aminotransferase activity and coenzyme stimulation.
- Administered 150 mg of pyridoxine hydrochloride daily for 4 weeks to uremic patients.
- Monitored changes in erythrocyte aspartate aminotransferase activity before, during, and after supplementation.
Main Results:
- Hemodialyzed uremic patients exhibited significant vitamin B6 deficiency.
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride treatment led to a significant increase in erythrocyte aspartate aminotransferase activity in both patient groups, with a greater response in hemodialyzed patients.
- In vitro pyridoxal phosphate stimulation showed enhanced enzyme activity post-supplementation.
- Erythrocyte aspartate aminotransferase levels decreased in hemodialyzed patients after treatment cessation, unlike nonhemodialyzed patients.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin B6 deficiency is prevalent in uremic patients, particularly those on hemodialysis.
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride supplementation effectively corrects vitamin B6 deficit and enhances aspartate aminotransferase activity in uremic patients.
- Vitamin B6 administration may improve intracellular pyridoxal phosphate levels, potentially addressing functional impairments in pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzymes.
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