Racial group differences in plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids in hemodialysis patients.

Approximately 50% of the mortality in hemodialysis patients is due to cardiovascular disease. Antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids may be protective because oxidation of low-density lipoproteins appears to be a necessary prerequisite for the development of atherogenesis, and hemodialysis itself may stimulate the generation of oxygen reactive species. African Americans comprise a substantial proportion of dialysis patients because they have higher rates of hypertension, glomerulonephritis, and diabetic end-stage renal disease than do whites. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids in hemodialysis patients and to investigate whether differences in these concentrations in the major racial or ethnic groups exist. Plasma concentrations of alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, carotenoids, and retinol were measured with HPLC and plasma vitamin C was measured with a spectrophotometric method in 109 white and African American hemodialysis patients. Dietary intakes of selected micronutrients were also compared by using data from a food-frequency questionnaire. Overall, plasma vitamin C and alpha-tocopherol concentrations were comparable but plasma carotenoid concentrations were lower than those reported for other populations. African American patients had significantly higher mean plasma concentrations of retinol (P < 0.04), lutein (P < 0.02), and total carotenoids minus lycopene (P < 0.04); whites had significantly higher mean plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol (P < 0.02), independent of age and plasma lipid concentrations. Diabetes comorbidity had an independent negative association with plasma beta-carotene concentration but was not associated with other measures.