Evidence for the Role of Active Oxygen in Guanidine Synthesis in Haemodialysis Patients and In Vitro

: This study clarifies the correlation between guanidino compounds and other laboratory findings including peroxidative markers in the sera of patients undergoing regular haemodialysis. The concentration of guanidine, for example, correlates significantly with iron, ferritin, and malondialdehyde. Guanidine is synthesized from various guanidino compounds such as arginine, guanidinoacetic acid, creatinine, creatine, methylguanidine, guanidinosuccinic acid, and canavanine in vitro by the hydroxyl radical. These results suggest that guanidine is synthesized as a result of active oxygen, and demonstrates the importance of guanidine as an indicator of the peroxidative state in patients with uraemia.