Correlation of serum lead levels with inflammation, nutritional status, and clinical complications in hemodialysis patients.

The aim of this study was to determine blood lead level (BLL) in hemodialysis (HD) patients and their relation with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and albumin which are inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers, respectively, and clinical complications. A total of 93 patients, who were dialyzed at least for 3 months, were included in the study. Blood samples were collected before HD and BLL was measured and categorized as three equal groups: low normal (BLL < 8 μg/dL), middle normal (BLL = 8-10.6 μg/dL), and high normal (BLL > 10.6 μg/dL). All patients had normal BLL, 9.7 ± 3.4 g/dL. Patients with abnormal hsCRP level (>3 mg/L) had higher BLL than other patients (16.4 ± 0.8 vs. 11.5 ± 2.7 mg/L, p = 0.003). Patients with BLL > 10.6 μg/dL had significantly lower hemoglobin, ferritin, iron, and albumin levels and higher hsCRP and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels than the patients with BLL < 8 μg/dL. In addition, BLL revealed a significant positive correlation with duration of dialysis. We concluded that BLL associated to inflammation, malnutritional status, iron-deficiency condition, and high iPTH level in HD patients.