title: Is erythrocyte damage prevented by gardos effect in hemodialyzed uremic patients?
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the changes of calcium and potassium content in red blood cells (RBC) from uremic patients during a hemodialysis (HD) session. In 17 uremic patients on HD, the calcium and potassium content of RBC was determined in 3 blood samples collected at 0 min-HD (pre-HD), 45 min-HD, and 240 min-HD (end-HD) during a 4 h HD session. The calcium and potassium content of RBC also was determined in 20 normal subjects (controls). The mean values (+/-SD) of RBC calcium content in patients at 0 min-HD, 45 min-HD, and 240 min-HD were 1.95 +/- 0.34, 2.82 +/- 0.50, and 2. 05 +/- 0.4 microg/ml, respectively, and in controls 0.61 +/- 0.14 microg/ml. These values show that the RBC calcium in patients was generally significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in comparison to that of controls. The RBC calcium at 45 min-HD was significantly higher as compared to that at 0 min-HD and at 240 min-HD (p < 0.0001). The mean values (+/-SD) of RBCs' potassium in uremic patients at the previously mentioned measurements were 95.9 +/- 3.34, 92.5 +/- 4.32, and 93.85 +/- 3.89 mEq/L, respectively, and in controls 98.46 +/- 2. 30 mEq/L. These values show that RBC potassium of patients was generally significantly lower in comparison to controls (0 min-HD: p < 0.01, 45 min-HD and 240 min-HD: p < 0.001). Potassium decrease also was significantly lower at 240 min-HD (p < 0.01) and even lower at 45 min-HD (p < 0.001) compared to that at 0 min-HD. In conclusion, uremic patients during an HD session present a high calcium and a low potassium content of erythrocytes. These changes may prevent swelling of the cells (Gardos effect).
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Agroyannis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paraskevopoulos
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kopelias
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tzanatos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kapetanaki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsomi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability / Q000502:physiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014511:Uremia / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D010758:Phosphorus; D002118:Calcium