Contribution of dialysate acetate to energy metabolism: metabolic implications

During hemodialysis large amounts of acetate enter the bloodstream. Generally, it is assumed that this exogenous acetate load is oxidized immediately to carbon dioxide and water; however, the rate of plasma acetate oxidation and the effect of acetate oxidation on energy metabolism during hemodialysis has not been determined previously. The rates of plasma acetate turnover and oxidation were determined during hemodialysis in seven chronic renal failure patients by the primed continuous infusion of [1-14C] acetate. The plasma acetate turnover rate (57.2 +/- 2.9 mumoles/min X kg) agreed closely with the mass transfer rate of dialysate acetate into the bloodstream (55.3 +/- 3.2 mumoles/min X kg). Of the acetate entering the bloodstream, 54.5 +/- 5.2% or 31.6 +/- 3.77 mumoles/min X kg was oxidized immediately accounting for 40.3 +/- 4.8% of the patient's caloric expenditure. Although the oxidation of acetate during dialysis supplied a major portion of the patient's caloric need, a significant quantity of acetate was eliminated by pathways other than direct oxidation. An average overall respiratory quotient (RQ) of 1.0 +/- 0.02 indicated that fat oxidation was spared to maintain energy homeostasis during hemodialysis. The calculated non-protein RQ exceeded unity suggesting that net fat synthesis actually occurred.