Relationship between Zink and Anaemica in Chronic Haemodialysis Patients

Abstract

End stage renal disease (ESRD) patients receiving haemodialysis (HD) are frequently associated
with anaemia. Zinc, being an important nutrient for haemoglobin synthesis, was studied for it's
effect, if any, on renal disease associated anaemia among patients in the HD unit of BSMMU
(formerly IPGMR), Dhaka. Surprisingly, a tow plasma zinc level and a high corpuscular (RBC)
zinc level was observed. All of our subjects were found anaemic. A significant correlation was
observed between plasma zinc level on one hand and haemoglobin level as well as RBC counts
on the other hand. There are several suggestions for this low plasma and high corpuscular zinc
level. However, this altered zinc level in plasma and red blood corpuscles might interfere with
haemoglobin synthesis and might be one of the factors for renal disease associated anaemia.

doi: 10.3329/taj.v16i1.3895

TAJ June 2003; Vol.16(1): 12-14