Factors involved in trace element metabolic abnormalities in hemodialysis patients

Hair samples taken from a patient group comprising 28 long-term hemodialysis patients (14 males and 14 females) and a control group comprising the same number of normal humans with the same age, sex, residence region, working region and sampling timing as the patient group were analyzed for 22 elements. These subjects were all free of exposure to any trace element. The results are as follows: 1) The patient group had no difference from the control group in hair Na, K, Ca, P or Mg level, variance or correlation coefficient between two elements. 2) The patient group had significantly higher values of hair Se, Sn, Mo and Cr levels and significantly lower values of hair Fe, Ni, Co, Pb and Cd levels. 3) In the patient group, variances of Se, Sn, Mo, Cr and Sr levels were significantly lower. 4) A significant correlation was found in P-Mo. Mg-Sr, Zn-Fe, Li-Sr, Mo-Sb and Cr-Co in both groups, with a significant difference in correlation coefficient between the two groups. 5) The following four factors, causative of trace element level changes in the patient group, were derived by factor analysis: Factor 1, involved in Ca metabolism, Factor 2, involved in dietary therapy, Factor 3, involved in water metabolism, and Factor 4, involved in an unknown pathologic status based on both chronic renal failure and hemodialysis. 6) Factor analysis revealed abnormal behavior of Sr, Li, Al and V, all of with showed no level changes in the patient group.