Low serum zinc levels in CKD linked to high risk of infections; finds study
According to the findings of a new study, patients with advanced CKD accompanied by low serum Zn concentration, and particularly those medicated with PPI, are at high risk of infection-related hospitalization, resulting in long-term hospitalization. The results of the study has been published in the Journal Of Renal Nutrition.
It has been well documented that Zinc (Zn) plays an important role in immune function. Previous studies have identified an association between a Zn deficiency and infection. Infectious diseases are major complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Taking a cue from this, a team of researchers investigated whether serum Zn concentrations are associated with risk of infection in patients with advanced CKD.
As for the study design, researchers retrospectively analyzed data from 299 patients with CKD whose serum Zn values were measured to evaluate anemia between January 2013 and December 2016. Among them, 9 who were supplemented with Zn and 67 who had started urgent dialysis at the time of measurement were excluded. They analyzed infection events, length of infection-related hospitalization and infection-related and all-cause mortality in the remaining 223 patients during a median follow-up of 36 months. The patients were assigned to groups with low or high Zn values (≤50 and >50 μg/dL, respectively) based on a median value of 50 μg/dL.
Data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox hazards models and revealed the following facts.
- During a median follow-up of 36 months, 40 patients were hospitalized with infections.
- The rate of infection-related and long-term hospitalization (>10 days) due to infection was higher for patients with low, than high, Zn values (23.3% vs. 12.6%; P = .042 and 26.2% vs. 12.4%; P = .007, respectively).
- After adjustment in Cox hazards models, low serum Zn values remained an independent risk factor for infection-related hospitalization (Hazard ratio [HR], 1.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-3.71; P = .048), especially for patients on proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications (HR, 2.66, 95%; CI, 1.22-5.81; P = .014).
The authors concluded that patients with advanced CKD accompanied by low serum Zn concentration, and particularly those medicated with PPI, are at high risk of infection-related hospitalization, which results in long-term hospitalization.
For further reference log on to
https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jrn.2020.11.006
Primary source: Journal Of Renal Nutrition
