Alteration of hepatic acetylation in uraemia.

The rate of acetylation of sulphadimidine was estimated in 25 normals and in two groups of patients on intermittent haemodialysis. Group A consisted of nine patients who were about to commence or had already been on dialysis for less than one year. Group B consisted of eight patients dialysed for one to six years. There was a highly significant increase in the incidence of fast acetylators in group A (p less than 0.001) compared with a normal population. There is an alteration of hepatic acetylation in chronic uraemia. This trend appears to be reversed by prolonged intermittent dialysis. Alteration of hepatic metabolism may indicate an important compensatory role for the liver in uraemia.