Plasma pyridoxal-5'-phosphate levels and clinical correlations in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Plasma pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) was measured by a specific method in 45 stable, chronic hemodialysis patients and 13 normal adults. Despite oral pyridoxine supplements (1 to 5 mg/day) a majority (64%) of patients had low levels. The difference between normals (8.5 +/- 3.7 ng/ml) and dialysis patients (3.6 +/- 3.6 ng/ml) was significant at P less than 0.01. Plasma PLP appeared to decrease with increasing duration of time on dialysis therapy. In vivo clearance studies as well as pre- and postdialysis plasma levels indicated that PLP was not removed by the dialyzer. Mean plasma PLP levels were normal in patients with stable motor nerve conduction velocity and a low transfusion requirement and low in those with decreasing motor nerve conduction velocity or a high transfusion requirement but the difference between the means in each group was not statistically significant. High oral doses of pyridoxine (100 to 200 mg/day) but not low doses (1 to 5 mg/day) restored PLP levels to normal in a majority of patients after 2 weeks.