Clinical biochemistry of aluminum

Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981 · CRC Crit. Rev. Clin. Lab. Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3109/10408368109105861· OSTI ID:5543359

King, S W; Savory, J; Wills, M R

Aluminum toxicity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of clinical disorders in patients with chronic renal failure on long-term intermittent hemodialysis treatment. The predominant disorders have been those involving either bone (osteomalacic dialysis osteodystrophy) or brain (dialysis encephalopathy). In nonuremic patients, an increased brain aluminum concentration has been implicated as a neurotoxic agent in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and was associated with experimental neurofibrillary degeneration in animals. The brain aluminum concentrations of patients dying with the syndrome of dialysis encephalopathy (dialysis dementia) are significantly higher than in dialyzed patients without the syndrome and in nondialyzed patients. Two potential sources for the increased tissue content of aluminum in patients on hemodialysis have been proposed: (1) intestinal absorption from aluminum containing phosphate-binding gels, and (2) transfer across the dialysis membrane from aluminum in the water used to prepare the dialysate. These findings, coupled with our everyday exposure to the ubiquitous occurrence of aluminum in nature, have created concerns over the potential toxicity of this metal.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville, VA
• OSTI ID: 5543359
• Journal Information: CRC Crit. Rev. Clin. Lab. Sci.; (United States), Vol. 14:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ALUMINIUM
TOXICITY
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
DIALYSIS
DISEASES
INTESTINAL ABSORPTION
METABOLISM
NERVOUS SYSTEM
PATIENTS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REVIEWS
SKELETON
THERAPY
ABSORPTION
BODY
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
METALS
ORGANS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
UPTAKE
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
550600 - Medicine