Simultaneous multielement analysis by ICP-MS with simple whole blood sample dilution and its application to uremic patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis

Abstract

Few studies were reported on trace elements’ alterations in uremic patients undergoing long-term (>24 months) hemodialysis (HD), especially by using the whole blood as the biological fluid for the measuring purpose. Our objective was to develop an improved micro-sampling inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method to determine the levels of Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Se and Pb in uremic patients receiving long-term HD. A ICP-MS method with a modified whole blood sample preparation procedure with small volumes was established and applied for the simultaneous quantification of the various elements in uremic patients undergoing long-term HD. 124 eligible uremic patients receiving long-term HD (75 males and 49 females) and 77 healthy subjects (54 males and 23 females) were recruited and Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Se and Pb levels were further determined. Our results revealed that uremic patients with HD had significantly higher blood levels of Ca, Mg, Zn and Pb and lower Cu, Fe, Se and Mn concentrations than healthy controls. In conclusion, a reproducible and reliable ICP-MS method using minimal whole blood sample volume (50 μL) with a simple dilution-based preparation procedure was successfully improved, validated and applied. Uremic patients undergoing long-term HD might be at increased risk of some essential trace elements deficiency (especially for Cu, Fe and Se) or toxic trace element excess (Pb) in respect to healthy subjects. Monitoring of blood levels and supplementation of some trace elements may be indicated in uremic patients undergoing long-term HD.

Keywords:

• Trace elements
• whole blood
• sample dilution
• ICP-MS
• uremic patients

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.

Additional information

Funding

This research was financially supported by Science and technology support project of Sichuan Province [2015SZ0117], Cadre Health Care Research Project of Sichuan Province [Grant Nos. 2019-801], and Zambon Pharmaceutical Scientific Research Foundation of Chengdu Pharmaceutical Association [Grant Nos. 201905]. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.