Quantitative proton magnetic resonance of plasma from uraemic patients during dialysis

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) has been used to measure rapidly concentrations of metabolites in plasma from patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) and normal subjects. Detailed quantitative analyses of spectra are presented for four CRF patients during haemodialysis, two patients in early stages of renal failure and two normal subjects. For patients on acetate dialysis, the method clearly shows how well exogenous acetate is metabolized during and after dialysis. Our results indicate a discrepancy between creatinine concentrations measured by 1H NMR and by the kinetic Jaffé reaction method, and also point to high betaine concentrations in plasma from some patients on maintenance haemodialysis and taking folate supplement.