Comparisons of the effects of calcium carbonate and calcium acetate on zinc tolerance test in hemodialysis patients.

Because aluminum hydroxide, as a phosphate binder, lowered intestinal zinc absorption, we studied the effects of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and calcium acetate (CaAc), two other phosphate binders, on intestinal Zn absorption in nine patients on hemodialysis and in 11 controls by measuring 1- and 2-hour serum Zn levels after oral administration of 50 mg of elemental Zn as Zn gluconate with or without concomitant administration of 2 g CaCO3 (800 mg elemental Ca) or 3 g CaAc (750 mg elemental Ca). Fasting serum Zn levels were not different between patients and controls (14.0 +/- 2.3 v 14.1 +/- 1.2 mumol/L [91.8 +/- 14.9 v 92.3 +/- 8.0 micrograms/dL]), but the area under the curve of serum Zn increment (AUC) 2 hours after an oral Zn challenge without or with either of two of phosphate binders used was significantly smaller in patients than in controls (P less than 0.05). The AUC after concomitant administration of Zn with CaCO3 did not differ from that of Zn alone in either patients or controls, but it was significantly less in Zn with CaAc than in Zn alone or in Zn with CaCO3 in both groups. The results demonstrate that intestinal Zn absorption after an oral Zn challenge decreased in patients on hemodialysis and concomitant administration of CaAc, but CaCO3 did not decrease intestinal Zn absorption in either group.