Cadmium and Lead Levels in Sera of the Patients with Chronic Renal Failure Treated with Hemodialyses in Short and Long Terms

Abstract

Patients with chronic renal failure were divided into two groups according to their hemodialyzed period; the one is a short-term group in which patients had been treated for 2 years, and the other was a long-term group in which they had been treated for 6 years. Their serum cadmium and lead levels were analysed by Zeeman-effect atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Serum cadmium levels in both groups were statistically higher than in the normal healthy group (control group: male 0.36 ppb, female 0.41 ppb; short-term group: male 2.13 ppb, female 1.32 ppb; long-term group: male 3.20ppb, female 2.45 ppb). Al so lead content in long-term group was statistically higher (control group: male 103.75 ppb, femle 102.50 ppb ; short-term group: male 177.50 ppb, female 144.38 ppb; long-term group: male 259.00 ppb, female 215.64 ppb). However, there was no difference in the level of either metal between male and female. These levels in the serum were unchanged at the time of pre- and post-dialysis for single treatment. The same trend was also found in non-protein bound metal levels. The increase of serum cadmium and lead levels in the patients treated with hemodialysis did not result from the dialysis fluid but from exogenous origins such as diet.