Niwa T, Sugiyama S, Nomura T, Miyazaki T, Tsutsui S, Maeda K
Oral sorbent suppressed progression of renal failure and production of indoxyl sulfate in undialyzed uremic patients
Am Soc Nephrol
J Am Soc Nephrol (abstract) (Sep) 7:1323 1996

From the time of Hippocrates, the concept of an orally administered nitrogen-binding sorbent for management of renal disease has been pursued. Over the past four years, a processed charcoal-derived sorbent, AST-120, has been in clinical trial in Japan. Prior reports indicate that a delay in the onset of maintenance hemodialysis is effected by daily sorbent treatment.

In the present extension of this work, 25 undialyzed uremic patients given AST-120 (6g/day) were compared with 14 control patients in terms of the slope of reciprocal serum creatinine against time as well as serum and urine levels of indoxyl sulfate. A significant slowing of in rise in creatinine (p <0.05), and reduction of plasma and urine levels of indoxyl sulfate was observed. The authors infer that sorbent treatment, by suppressing indoxyl sulfate production by adsorbing its precursor, indole, retards advancing renal disease.

Comment: Lacking full controls, cautious interpretation is advised. Other explanations for the findings are possible. For example, the sorbent may have induced anorexia with wasting of muscle mass reflected in lower creatinine levels. Nevertheless, every fresh effort to modify our stultified hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis regimens must be applauded. Although more than half-a-million people worldwide now live because of dialysis, this cumbersome, expensive, time consuming means of treating ESRD is unavailable to the majority of the world. The appeal of a simple, inexpensive, oral regimen is obvious. (Eli A. Friedman, M.D., SUNY, Health Science Center at Brooklyn)

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Am Soc Nephrol
CRF by problem area : Progression