Papers And Originals
Acute Zinc Toxicity in Haemodialysis
Br Med J 1972; 4 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.4.5836.331 (Published 11 November 1972) Cite this as: Br Med J 1972;4:331
- Eileen D. M. Gallery,
- Jeanette Blomfield,
- S. R. Dixon
Abstract
A country patient on home haemodialysis suffered acute nausea, vomiting, and fever during dialyses when she used water stored in a galvanized tank. She subsequently was found to have severe anaemia with raised plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations. Intercurrent hospital haemodialyses and subsequent home dialyses with deionized water were symptom-free.
Experimental haemodialyses of dogs against small concentrations of zinc showed a disproportionate rise in plasma zinc and possible uptake of zinc by the liver.