Serum chromium levels are higher in peritoneal dialysis than in hemodialysis patients

Background: An elevation in serum chromium levels in individuals treated with renal replacement therapy has been previously described, but chromium levels have not been systematically studied in patients treated with different dialysis modalities. The aim of this study was to compare serum chromium levels in patients treated with chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD). ♦ Methods: We studied 169 chronic dialysis patients in a single medical center, of which 148 were treated with HD and 21 with PD. Serum chromium levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. ♦ Residual renal function was accessed using a timed urine collection for the measurement of urine output and calculation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). ♦ Results: The median (interquartile range) serum chromium level was significantly higher in patients treated with PD than in patients treated with HD: 5.00 (3.24 – 6.15) vs 1.83 (1.29 – 2.45) mcg/L, p < 0.001. In a univariate analysis, serum chromium level was associated with PD modality: Exp (B) 7.46 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1 – 26.4), p = 0.002. The association of PD modality with serum chromium level was even more significant using a multivariate logistic regression model: odds ratio (OR) 11.87 (95% CI 2.85 – 49.52), p = 0.001 after adjustment for age, gender, diabetes, smoking, dialysis vintage, use of diuretics, and residual renal function. ♦ Conclusions: In patients treated with chronic dialysis, serum chromium levels are higher in patients treated with PD than in those treated with HD.