Histidine supplementation for treatment of anaemia of uraemia.

Abstract

The effects of supplemental histidine on the anaemia of 16 chronically uraemic patients and 26 patients undergoing maintenance dialysis were assessed. Patients were given either L-histidine 4 g/day or placebo for a mean of 17-5 weeks in a randomized double-blind controlled study. Haemoglobin and packed cell volume increased slightly and to a similar degree in the patients on dialysis receiving placebo and histidine, but this change was statistically significant only in those on placebo. Plasma histidine rose significantly in the histidine-treated patients undergoing dialysis and decreased in the uraemic patients receiving placebo. These results suggest that supplementary L-histidine in patients with uraemia or patients undergoing maintenance dialysis does not improve anaemia.