Should zinc deficiency be tested and treated in CKD patients? Experience from a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Background: Hypozincemia is common in patients with chronic renal insufficiency and end-stage renal disease treated with peritoneal and hemodialysis. Several factors may contribute to and explain zinc deficiency associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We planned this study to see the prevalence of zinc deficiency in these patients and whether it is justified to test and treat it. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional, observational study. Study participants were patients diagnosed with CKD on maintenance hemodialysis. All patients were subjected to detailed history and clinical examination per predesigned performance. Serum zinc levels, along with serum iron studies, were sent. Patients with serum zinc concentrations of less than 80 μg/dL were diagnosed to have hypozincemia. The relation between hypozincemia and hematological parameters was studied. The data collected were entered into the MS Excel master sheet and analyzed. Results: A total of 112 patients aged 18 years and above, diagnosed with CKD and on maintenance hemodialysis, were selected for the study. The mean age of the study population was 51.0 ± 14.9 years. Approximately two-thirds (71 patients, 63.4%) of the study participants were males. All patients in the present study were anemic, with a mean hemoglobin level of 7.4 ± 1.2 g/dL. The prevalence of hypozincemia was observed to be 83.0% (93 of 112 patients). There was no statistically significant difference in the degree of anemia, serum iron and ferritin levels, serum urea/creatinine, and hypozincemia. Conclusion: Despite the high prevalence of hypozincemia in our study (83%), there was no relationship between hypozincemia and other hematological parameters; therefore, routine testing and treatment for zinc deficiency in CKD patients are not advisable.

Keywords

• anemia
• chronic kidney disease
• hypozincemia