Methods: An experimental study was conducted for 30 days at hemodialysis unit Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya. Twenty-three patients

were enrolled in this study and divided into two groups of NAC capsules (11 patients) and effervescent tablets (12 patients). Statistical analysis was conduced with paired t-test (in normally distributed data) or Wilcoxon test (in abnormally distributed data). Results: The results showed insignificant homocysteine decrease of 10.99% (p = 0.072) and in the capsule and significant LBH589 nmr homocysteine decrease of 13.21% (p = 0.024) in the effervescent group There were no significant difference (p = 0.067) in mean serum homocysteine between groups using the NAC capsules and effervescent tablets. No difference in NAC side effects was found in both treatment groups. Conclusion: In group receiving capsules, mean homocysteine level decreased insignificantly, while in group receiving effervescent tablets homocysteine decrease was significant. There was no significant difference in mean serum homocystein between group receiving NAC capsule and group receiving effervescent tablet. NAC side effects in both groups were not significantly different. Key words: N-acetylcysteine, NAC, hyperhomocysteinaemia HANAFUSA NORIO1, HAMASAKI YOSHIFUMI1, IDO inhibitor KINUGASA SATOSHI2, NOIRI EISEI2, NANGAKU MASAOMI2 1Division of Total Renal Care Medicine, the University of Tokyo

Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; 2Department of Hemodialysis and Apheresis, the University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan Introduction: Carnitine deficiency is popular among hemodialyzed population, which is supposed due to elimination during hemodialysis procedure as well as several other factors. Although kinetics of carnitine during hemodialysis procedure has been investigated, the actual amount of carnitine eliminated during hemodialysis remains unclear. We measured the actual amount of eliminated carnitine with use of continuous syringe extract method (CSEM) during next hemodialysis. Methods: Chronic hemodialysis patients as inpatient settings at our hospital were investigated. All were treated with hemodialysis of 4 hour session with high-flux dialyzer. Carnitine

was measured in both serum and dialysate. A portion of dialysate at the outlet of dialyzer was collected by CSEM. We calculated total amount of carnitine loss into dialysate, the clearance at the middle of sessions, and cleared space during beginning, latter half or entire session. Factors that affected the amount of removal were also investigated. The entire protocol had been approved by the ethical committee of our facility (approval number #3658). Results: Thirty patients were finally included into the present study. Their ages were 64.1 ± 8.6 years. Seven patients were female. Thirteen patients were diabetic. Median dialysis vintages were 8.1 (IQR 4.2–14.0) years. Predialytic total carnitine concentration was 44.9 ± 11.5 μmol/l (mean ± standard deviation).