Hair analysis of uremic toxin for knowing individual renal function

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Pharmacology 1996, Vol.71 (suppl.2), p.294-294
• Main Authors: Uematsu, Toshihiko, Kawabata, Masami, Niwa, Toshimitsu, Takeda, Naohito
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; jpn
• ISSN: 0021-5198
• DOI: 10.1016/S0021-5198(19)37417-7

3-Carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-furanpropionic acid (CMPF), a well-known uremic toxin, was determined in serum and hair collected from normal subjects and uremic patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) therapy with HPLC and GC/MS methods, respectively. Although the concentration of CMPF in serum was accumulated and much higher in patients with HD, that in hair was higher in normal subjects. There was no significant correlation between CMPF concentrations in serum and hair both in patients and normal subjects. When this substance was measured in sweat collected from normal subjects, it was found in 4 out of 5 samples. These findings suggest that CMPF in hair is mostly derived from sweat and could not serve as an indicator of individual renal function. Since it is well known that uremic patients have much less sweat than healthy subjects, less perspiration may contribute to the frequent occurrence of itching in uremic patients. Furthermore, it is suggested that the uremic toxins accumulated in skin may substantiate the xeroderma and itching itself associated with uremia.