Zinc metabolism in uremia.

Subnormal plasma zinc levels have been reported in uremic patients. However, detailed studies regarding zinc status in uremia are not available. Twenty-five patients with chronic renal failure (10 undergoing maintenance hemodialysis, five receiving chronic peritoneal dialysis, and 10 nondialyzed azotemic patients) had lower concentration of zinc in plasma, leukocytes, and hair as well as increased plasma ammonia and ribonuclease activity compared to age- and sex-matched controls (p less than 0.001). Similar biochemical changes have been reported in experimentally induced zinc deficiency in both animals and man, except that erythrocyte zinc concentration was elevated in these patients. High erythrocyte zinc concentration may be related to ineffective erythropoiesis in uremia. The results of this study suggest that abnormality in zinc metabolism occurs commonly in patients with chronic renal failure and that it develops prior to initiation of dialysis treatment.