We have examined the influence of the longitudinal temperature and pressure gradients in columns operated under very high pressures on the coefficients of the van Deemter equation under the idealized condition of complete radial uniformity. These gradients change the diffusion coefficients over the length of the column, and the equation takes a new form, where the classical linear C-term is replaced by more complex forms that capture the effects of these axial gradients. The details of the derivations are shown and the implications are discussed.