Importancia del aluminio en la hemodiálisis crónica / Improtance of aluminum in chronic hemodialysis

ABSTRACT

A study is carried out of aluminum concentration in the water supply of the city of Montevideo and in the plasma of 86 patients with chroni renal failure, under periodic hemodialytic treatment with non-demineralized water. The determinations were performed by atomic absoption spectrophotometry with graphite furnace. The aluminum rates of the water supply were always high, with a 286 ug/l mean. All of the patients exhibited high aluminemia (a 102 ug/l mean), in relation with a control group of healthy persons unexposed to the hazard. The study of 18 patients following a period of 3 to 9 months of hemodialysis with demineralized water showed a statistically significant decrease of aluminemia. Stress is laid on the importance of using demineralized water in hemodialysis in order to prevent aluminum poisoning and its serious complications.