J Korean Med Sci.  2006 Apr;21(2):290-294. 10.3346/jkms.2006.21.2.290.

Influence of Blood Lead Concentration on the Nerve Conduction Velocity in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

• Kim YS
• Park JH
• Hong JR
• Gil HW
• Yang JO
• Lee EY
• Hong SY

• KMID: 1781837
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2006.21.2.290

Abstract

Diseases of the peripheral nervous system are the most prevalent in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Although increased blood levels of lead in ESRD have been reported, the role of lead remains to be elucidated. The purpose of this study was to determine the connection of blood lead concentration with peripheral nerve conduction velocity. One hundred ninety-eight healthy subjects (control group) and 68 patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis (ESRD group) were enrolled. Nerve conduction was measured within two hours after hemodialysis. Orthodromic sensory nerve action potentials and compound muscle action potentials were recorded on the median, ulnar, and radial nerves. Hemoglobin-corrected blood lead was significantly higher in ESRD patients than in controls (9.1+/-2.8 microgram/dL vs. 5.9+/-2.3 microgram/dL, p<0.001). 32.4% of 68 ESRD patients with diabetes mellitus were significantly related to poorer motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity (p<0.001). However, blood lead was not a significant predictor of the nerve conduction velocity (p>0.05). Our result suggested that even though the blood lead levels were high in ESRD, they were not associated with the decline of peripheral nerve function. Diabetes mellitus is a primary independent risk of neuropathy in ESRD patients.

Keyword

Lead; Kidney Failure; Chronic; End-stage Renal Disease; Neural Conduction; Diabetes Mellitus; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases

MeSH Terms

Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/blood/etiology/physiopathology
Peripheral Nerves/physiopathology
Neural Conduction/*physiology
Middle Aged
Male
Lead/*blood/metabolism
Kidney Failure, Chronic/*blood/complications/*physiopathology
Humans
Female
Diabetic Neuropathies/blood/physiopathology
Case-Control Studies
Bone and Bones/metabolism
Body Burden
Adult

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Box plots of nerve conduction tests in 68 patients with end-stage renal failure.

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