Abstract
Background and aim: Abnormalities in blood metal concentrations and pruritus occur frequently in hemodialysis patients. Pruritus significantly impairs the quality of life for these patients, and may be related to abnormal blood metal concentrations. Therefore, we measured the blood metal concentrations in hemodialysis patients and non-dialysis control patients to examine the relationship between blood metal level, pruritus, and skin condition. Methods: Hemodialysis patients were divided into “scratching” and “non-scratching” groups based on the severity of their symptoms. Blood was collected and the skin condition was measured at the start of hemodialysis in the patient group. Concentrations of metals such as magnesium, calcium, manganese, iron, copper, and zinc in serum and whole blood were determined by an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer. Skin condition was assessed by measuring transepidermal water loss and stratum corneum moisture content. Results: The whole blood manganese level in hemodialysis patients was 8 times higher than that in non-dialysis patients (168 ± 42 ng/mL vs 22 ± 15 ng/mL), and a negative correlation was found between manganese level and stratum corneum moisture content. The stratum corneum moisture content in the scratching group was significantly lower than that in the non-scratching group. Conclusion: Patients with higher levels of whole blood manganese exhibited dry skin.
