Serum zinc, lithium and thyroid hormones in patients with chronic renal failure

The association of changes in serum trace elements [zinc and lithium] with thyroid hormones [thyroxine and triiodothyronine] in patients with established renal failure studied. Thirty patients of both sexes with established renal failure of divert causes and subjected to renal dialysis were enrolled in this study. Renal dialysis increases the level of thyroid hormones but did not alter the status of serum zinc and lithium. Serum thyoid hormones were correlated positively with serum zinc and negatively with serum lithium. This pattern of correlation was not altered by renal dialysis. It could be concluded that certain trace elements are playing a role in the regulation of thyroid function particularly in diseases other than thyroid