title: Essential trace elements in humans. Serum arsenic concentrations in hemodialysis patients in comparison to healthy controls.
abstract: Serum arsenic concentrations of persons suffering from renal failure and undergoing hemodialysis treatment (n = 85) and of healthy controls (n = 25) were determined by hydride-generation AAS technique after microwave digestion. The results were evaluated by comparing the values of both groups, considering physiological factors and individual data, as well as comorbid conditions of the hemodialysis (HD) patients. Serum arsenic levels were diminished in the patient group compared with controls (mean values 8.5 +/- 1.8 ng/mL vs 10.6 +/- 1.3 ng/mL). Furthermore, additional diseases within the hemodialysis group, particularly injuries of the central nervous system (CNS), vascular diseases, and cancer, were correlated to occasionally markedly decreased serum arsenic concentrations. It was concluded that arsenic homeostasis is disturbed by HD treatment and certain additional diseases. Desirable arsenic concentrations in the body seem to be reasonable. This consideration results in the conclusion that arsenic could play an essential role in human health. Thus, reference arsenic concentrations in different human tissues and body fluids should be established in order to recognize not only arsenic intoxication, but also arsenic deficiency. Perhaps arsenic deficiency contributes to the increased death risk of HD patients, and therefore, arsenic supplementations for patients with extremely low serum arsenic concentrations should be taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Analytical Chemistry, Karl Franzens University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kosmus
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pogglitsch
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Beyer
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D001151:Arsenic