Fat elimination in acute renal failure.

Lipid metabolism and elimination of parenterally administered fat were investigated in 15 patients with acute renal failure (ARF). The mean triglyceride level was elevated to 2.56 +/- 1.43 mmol/l and the mean cholesterol level was 3.32 +/- 0.66 mmol/l, which is slightly below the normal range. A type IV hyperlipoproteinaemia was present in 47 per cent of the patients. The triglyceride content of LDL and VLDL was elevated and the cholesterol concentration of HDL and of LDL was reduced markedly. The fractional removal rate of triglycerides (K2) evaluated by an intravenous fat tolerance test using a bolus technique was reduced to 2.44 +/- 1.56 per cent/min which is about half of normal and correspondingly the elimination half life was prolonged to 28.4 min. No correlation could be demonstrated between the impairment of fat elimination and residual renal function, basal and VLDL triglyceride concentration or HDL cholesterol content.