Seventy-four patients with end stage renal failure were
studied.Forty-six of them were on hemodialysis (HD) while 28 were on
continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). In addition 56
non-dialysis chronic renal failure (NDCRF) patients with various degree
of renal failure were also studied. In all groups serum triglyceride
concentrations were significantly higher and HDL cholesterol
concentrations were significantly lower compared to age- and sex-matched
controls. Total and LDL cholesterol were significantly higher in the
NDCRF and CAPD patients compared to controls. In 55 patients (20 on HD,
13 on CAPD and 22 NDCRF) with severe hypertiglyceridemia or diminished
HDL cholesterol gemfibrozil 300 mg b. i. d per os was given for 6
months. Drug treatment reduced significantly serum triglycerides in all
groups of patients and increased the levels of HDL cholesterol in CAPD
patients. Moreover, a statistically significant decrease of the levels
of total and LDL cholesterol was noticed in HD and NDCRF patients.
During treatment no significant side effects were observed and liver and
muscle enzymes remained within normal values
