Plasma zinc level in hemodialysis, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and renal transplantation
Shu, K.H.; Lian, J.D.; Yang, Y.F.; Lu, Y.S.; Cheng, C.H.; Chen, D.L.
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association 86(12): 1251-1255
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0371-7682 PMID: 3327910 Document Number: 304577
Plasma zinc levels have been extensively studied in uremic patients with or without hemodialysis (HD). However, there were relatively few reports on the zinc status of patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and renal transplantation. We therefore measured plasma zinc levels in healthy controls (30 cases), patients on HD (54 cases), patients on CAPD (30 cases), and recipients of renal transplant (36 cases). This was done by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Instrumentation Laboratory Model 551). The plasma zinc level in healthy controls was 101.7 .+-. 19.9 .mu.g/dl (mean .+-. S.D.). Low plasma zinc levels were found in HD patients, who had been dialzyed for either less than one year (82.4 .+-. 16.7 .mu.g/dl) or more than one year (81.8 .+-. 15.9 .mu.g/dl). Both were significantly lower than normal. In CAPD patients, low plasma zinc levels were found for the first 6 months and were normalized by the 9th treatment-month. The zinc concentration of fresh Dianeal PD fluid was 5.7 .+-. 0.5 .mu.g/dl, while in the drained peritoneal dialysate the concentration was between 2.4 .+-. 1.3 and 2.9 .+-. 2.0 .mu.g/dl. A small amount of zinc was noted to shift from Dianeal dialysis fluid into the body. In patients who received renal transplantation, a similar low plasma zinc level was also found and was normalized subsequently by the 18th month after transplantation. We conclude that plasma zinc was depressed in HD patients and can be normalized by both CAPD and renal transplantation.