Zinc status in patients with chronic renal failure on conservative and peritoneal dialysis treatment

The physiological mechanisms regulating zinc homeostasis in humans have been elucidated and described, but the knowledge of zinc status and zinc distribution in the tissues and in the different biological compartments of patients with conservatively treated chronic renal failure (CRF) and on peritoneal dialysis is still insufficient. This investigation examines and compares zinc content in urine, erythrocytes, plasma, and outflow dialysis solution in a group of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients, a group of patients with CRF on conservative treatment and in healthy controls. Data from the last 6 months of 22 adult hemodialysis patients with a mean age of 61 ± 14 years were analyzed retrospectively. Dialysis vintage, normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR), serum biochemical parameters, mid arm muscle circumference (MAMC) were determined as mean and standard deviation. Correlations between the variables were computed by coefficient p of Pearson. In patients on CAPD treatment (group 3) compared to healthy controls (group 1) plasma zinc level was diminished (р