Estimation of nickel levels in blood serum among Hemodialysis patients in Syria

Accumulation or deficiency of trace elements can occur in hemodialysis patients and it increases the toxicity and risk of diseases and causes damage to many organs. Understanding of Nickel imbalances in hemodialysis patients is as yet incomplete. Our present study is designed to estimate nickel concentrations in serum samples from hemodialysis patients before and after dialysis. The study was carried out in 67 patients undergoing hemodialysis at Al Mouwasat Hospital in Damascus compared with 35 healthy controls. All serum measurements were performed by a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with a deuterium lamp. Our results showed that Hemodialysis patients had significantly higher serum levels of Ni than healthy controls (p < 0.0001). After performing hemodialysis Ni serum concentrations were significantly higher than the pre-hemodialysis levels (p<0.0001). Hemodialysis patients are at increased risk of Nickel excess in respect to healthy subjects therefore the toxicity of Nickel may be occurred. Monitoring of blood serum levels and supplementation of Nickel and other trace elements must be indicated in patients undergoing hemodialysis.