Androgen therapy in haemodialysis patients. II. Effects on red cell metabolism.

Abstract

Activities of the red cell enzymes hexokinase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, lactic dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase were measured in 17 chronic haemodialysis patients receiving androgen therapy, 15 untreated chronic haemodialysis patients and 15 normal subjects. Compared to normal subjects, untreated haemodialysis patients had similar reticulocyte counts but significantly increased levels of all five enzymes studied. This finding suggests the presence of a younger red cell population in the peripheral blood and is consistent with the shortened red cell survival known to occur in this clinical setting. Red cell enzyme activities in untreated haemodialysis patients were significantly correlated with one another and with the serum phosphate level. Moreover, in this population, red cell DPG content was directly related to hexokinase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities while haemoglobin-oxygen affinity (P50) was inversely related to all five enzyme activities. In contrast, in androgen-treated haemodialysis patients, despite higher reticulocyte counts, red cell enzyme activities were the same or lower than those in the untreated haemodialysis group and only slightly higher than those in normal subjects, suggesting an overall older red cell population. Moreover, relationships of red cell enzymes to one another, to serum phosphate levels and to both red cell DPG content and haemoglobin-oxygen affinity were significantly different in androgen-treated subjects than in the untreated haemodialysis group. These changes are consistent with a direct effect of androgens on red cell metabolism and an improved red cell survival during androgen therapy.