Abstract
Influence of bicarbonate concentration in dialysate on calcium (Ca) flux during hemodialysis was studied in 18 patients with hemodialysis. Each patient was dialysed four times using the four different dialysates with the different Ca concentration (3.5 or 2.5mEq/l) and with the different bicarbonate concentration (30 or 25mEq/l). In the post-dialysis, the increase of blood pH, plasma total Ca and ultrafiltrable Ca was large using the high concentration of bicarbonate at the same Ca concentration of dialysate. In the post-dialyzer site, the ultrafiltrable Ca increased using the high bicarbonate concentration of dialysate. These results suggest that Ca transport from dialysate to blood is influenced by the bicarbonate concentration of dialysate. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the bicarbonate concentration for the determination of the optimum concentration of dialysate Ca.
