Noninvasive assessment of skin iron content in hemodialysis patients. An index of parenchymal tissue iron content

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Am. J. Kidney Dis.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-6386(88)80066-0· OSTI ID:6895421

Friedlaender, M M; Kaufman, B; Rubinger, D; Moreb, J; Popovtzer, M M; Goredetsky, R

Iron overload has been described in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. The present study was undertaken to evaluate a rapid, noninvasive method for determination of skin iron by the technique of diagnostic x-ray spectrometry (DXS). Thirty-five patients receiving chronic hemodialysis treatment entered the study and were compared with 25 normal controls. Since pathological skin iron deposition occurs mainly at the dermal-epidermal junction in the basal cells of the epidermis, measurements were made in the thenar eminence representing mainly epidermal tissue (FeE), and in the forearm representative mainly of dermis (FeD). The mean +/- SD FeE iron concentrations were equivalent to 14.5 +/- 8.8 and 18.2 +/- 10.2 parts per million wet weight tissue (ppm) and both were significantly higher than in normal controls in which they averaged 9.2 +/- 2.5 ppm (P less than 0.005) and 10.2 +/- 3.2 ppm (P less than 0.001), respectively. There was significant positive correlation between individual skin iron determinations with the total number of blood transfusions received, the rate of blood transfusion, and with serum ferritin levels. Bone marrow hemosiderin was examined in six patients and showed a similar trend. Despite correlation only with indirect indices of tissue iron, our findings suggest that DXS may serve as a reliable quick method for noninvasive estimation of nonreticuloendothelial tissue iron deposition in hemodialysis patients suspected of having transfusional iron overload. The method may be valuable in monitoring the effects of chelation therapy.

• Research Organization: Hadassah Univ. Hospital, Jerusalem (Israel)
• OSTI ID: 6895421
• Journal Information: Am. J. Kidney Dis.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Kidney Dis.; (United States) Vol. 12:1; ISSN AJKDD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL TISSUES
BODY
BONE MARROW
COMPLEXES
DIALYSIS
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
EPIDERMIS
EPITHELIUM
FERRITIN
HEMATOPOIETIC SYSTEM
IRON
IRON COMPLEXES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEASURING METHODS
METALLOPROTEINS
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATIENTS
PROTEINS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SIDE EFFECTS
SKIN
SPECTRA
SPECTROMETERS
THERAPY
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TISSUES
TRANSFUSIONS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
X-RAY SPECTRA
X-RAY SPECTROMETERS