Positive Health Online

Abstract

AGUILERA and co-workers, Servicio de Nefrologia, Hospitales Universitarios La Paz, Spain, describe true deficiency of vitamins E and A in dialysis patients and its relationship with clinical patterns of atherosclerosis .

Background

Atherosclerosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients . Oxidative stress plays a role in the etiology of uremic atherosclerosis. Although antioxidant vitamins (A and E) are elevated in the blood plasma of these patients, clinical signs of vitamin deficiency are often found . Recently the importance of vitamin/carrier complexes as markers for the bioavailability of vitamins has been recognised. In this study, the bioavailability of vitamins A and E was measured as vitamin/carrier complexes, and related to atherosclerosis status in dialysis patients .

Methodology

45 patients were assessed for atherosclerosis and divided into clinical atherosclerosis scores (CAS) grades 1 to 4 . Vitamins A and E and their carriers were determined.

Results

The vitamin A/carrier complex showed a statistically significant negative linear correlation with CAS and with serum iron . By univariate logistic regression analysis, significant associations between CAS and vitamin E plasma levels, vitamin E/carrier, age, and serum albumin were found.

Conclusion

These results show a vitamin/carrier complex disorder in dialysis patients that results in elevated mobilization of vitamins from pool and target cells.

References

Aguilera A, Bajo MA, del Peso G, Diez JJ, Codoceo R, Rebollo F, Mariano M, Selgas R, et al. True deficiency of antioxidant vitamins E and A in dialysis patients. Relationship with clinical patterns of atherosclerosis. Advances in Peritoneal Dialysis 18: 206-211, 2002.