Increase in blood plasma levels of boron and strontium in hemodialyzed patients.

Boron and strontium concentrations in blood plasma of controls and hemodialyzed patients from two Centers were determined by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry. Boron concentrations in blood plasma were respectively, in controls 2.6 +/- 0.9 mumol/l and in hemodialyzed patients 16.1 +/- 5.6 mumol/l before the dialysis session and 9.5 +/- 3.2 mumol/l at the end. The decrease in blood plasma during the dialysis was concomitant with an increase in the dialysis fluid (1.2 +/- 0.7 mumol/l at the beginning and 4.6 +/- 1.8 mumol/l at the end). Strontium concentrations in blood plasma were respectively, in controls 0.22 +/- 0.06 mumol/l and in hemodialyzed patients 0.62 +/- 0.24 mumol/l before the dialysis session and 0.64 +/- 0.14 mumol/l at the end. The mean concentration of strontium in the dialysis fluid was the same before (0.49 +/- 0.11 mumol/l) and after the dialysis session (0.49 +/- 0.10 mumol/l), but a transfer between plasma and dialysis fluid was shown by individual changes. Some considerations about these results are put forward but their possible clinical consequences are not yet known.