THE EVALUATION OF SERUM ZINC AND COPPER LEVELS IN THE HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

Our purpose was to determine serum zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) levels in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) undergoing (HD) and to investigate the effects of dialysis duration of time on these trace elements.

This study included 26 HD patients (17 Male and 9 Female) who were treated in HD Center of Dicle University Hospital and 26 healthy subjects (1

3 Male and 13 Female) as control group. Three blood samples were taken from all cases to determine serum Zn and Cu levels, biochemical tests and CBC. Serum Zn and Cu levels were analysed by AAS (Unicam 929).

Patients were between 18 and 67 years (mean age, 43^15 years) in HD group and between 20 and ~0 years (mean age, 4017 years) in control group. The laboratory finding showed the following mean values Zn, 69.6±17.6 g/dl; Cu, 85.3±14.8 g/dl in HD patients and Zn, 114.9±34.3 g/dl; Cu, 161.2±49.3 g/dl in control group, respectively. Serum Zn and Cu levels of HD patients were significantly lower than control group (p<0.0001). Statistically, we didn't find any significant differences in serum Zn and Cu levels between long-term and short-term dialysed patients (p>0.05).

In HD patients, serum Zn and Cu levels, but especially Zn levels were found significantly to be decreased. We especially recommend that Zn should be given to patients with CRF undergoing HD and to protein-restricted CRF patients.