Vitamin A and zinc status in patients on maintenance haemodialysis.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to assess the vitamin A and zinc serum levels in patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) in the city of Recife, in the north-eastern region of Brazil.


METHODS
The study comprised 55 patients and 28 healthy controls. The retinol and zinc serum concentrations were analysed by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and atomic absorption spectrophotometry, respectively.


RESULTS
The mean retinol serum concentration in patients (2.50 +/- 0.86 micromol/L) was significantly greater (P < 0.001) than that found in controls (1.26 +/- 0.86 micromol/L). The retinol serum levels in the patients were as follows: 47.3% of the patients had elevated levels (>/= 2.24 and < 3.50 micromol/L); 16.4% of the patients had serum levels >/= 3.50 micromol/L, which indicated hypervitaminosis; and 9.1% of the patients had serum levels below the normal range (<1.05 micromol/L), a rate that among the controls was 42.9% (P < 0.01). In regard to zinc, the serum levels found in the patients (10.59 +/- 3.12 micromol/L) were similar to those found in the controls (11.43 +/- 2.82 micromol/L) (P > 0.05). Although 49.1% of the patients and 35.7% of the controls were classified as deficient in zinc, this difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).


RESULTS
The results identified a high prevalence of zinc deficiency in the groups studied, and point to a trend towards more elevated retinol serum levels in patients undergoing dialysis as compared with those in healthy controls.
Cabral
Poliana Coelho
PC
Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
Diniz
Alcides da Silva
Ada S
de Arruda
Ilma Kruze Grande
IK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*
D014801:Vitamin A; D015032:Zinc