Nitrogen and urea metabolism during continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

During continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), concentrations of serum urea nitrogen (SUN) have been reported that are lower than what would be predicted from estimated dietary protein intake and the calculated urea clearance by dialysis. Net urea generation (urea nitrogen appearance) and losses of various nitrogenous constituents were measured during 12 metabolic studies in patients undergoing CAPD. Patients ingested constant diets containing either 1.0 or 1.4 g or protein per kilogram of body wt per day; total daily urea "clearance" from peritoneal dialysis plus renal clearance averaged 10.8 +/- 0.3 liters/day. Urea nitrogen appearance was only 55 and 68% of total nitrogen output with the low and high protein diets, respectively, values that are substantially lower than those reported in normal subjects, patients with chronic renal failure, and those undergoing hemodialysis. The reduction fraction of nitrogen appearing as urea was largely accounted for by the loss of protein and free amino acids into the dialysate. These respective constituents accounted fro 11.5 and 4.4% of total nitrogen output. Urea nitrogen appearance correlated closely (r = 0.96) with total nitrogen output in the patients undergoing CAPD.