Showing papers by "Nicoletta Ronda published in 1986"

Muscle energy metabolism in uremia.

Abstract: Energy-rich phosphagens were measured in 11 patients with end-stage chronic renal failure and 11 nonuremic subjects. A significant decrease of ATP, phosphocreatine, total adenine nucleotides, lactate, and energy charge was found. The present results can be referred both to glycolytic sequence disturbances and to the lack of substrates characteristic of uremia.

Uremic Acidosis and Intracellular Buffering

Abstract: Skeletal muscle biopsies were performed in 16 controls and 15 non-dialysed end-stage chronic renal failure (CRF) patients presenting untreated metabolic acidosis. Intracellular bicarbonate, pH. water compartments and electrolytes were determined. In 8 of 15 patients muscle ATP and lactate were measured. Intracellular bicarbonate (HCO3i) and pH (pHi) were obtained by means of muscle total carbon dioxide method: a significant (p < 0.001) reduction in both intracellular acid-base indexes was found in all patients (pH, 6.82±13 vs. 7.04±0.05; HCO3i 6.28±2.07 vs. 11.86±0.87). Total muscle as well as extracellular water was increased. Muscle sodium and chloride contents were also increased, while no change in potassium and magnesium was detected. A significant decrease of both muscle ATP and lactate was found. The data lead to the conclusion that chronic retention of acids in CRF results in-a depletion of the muscle buffer pool and consequently in intracellular acidosis: the latter could be the main cause of the...