Plasma nitrate/nitrite removal by peritoneal dialysis might predispose infants with low blood pressure to cerebral ischaemia

The underlying pathogenic mechanisms of neurological complications in infants undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) are poorly understood. We report on four male infants treated with PD who developed symptomatic cerebral ischaemia. Blood pressure (BP) levels were low both before the event and at presentation. In two patients, we observed that the removal of nitrate and nitrite by PD could have impaired the nitrate/nitrite--nitrite oxide (NO) pathway, a system that generates NO independently of NO synthase. Our observation suggests that low BP and reduced NO bioavailability puts infants treated with PD at risk for impaired cerebral blood flow and consequently for brain ischaemia.