Date of Award:

5-1981

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences

Department name when degree awarded

Nutrition and Food Science

Committee Chair(s)

Deloy G. Hendricks

Committee

Deloy G. Hendricks

Committee

Bonita Wyse

Committee

LeGrande Ellis

Abstract

The study was designed to assess the vitamin A and vitamin E status of persons receiving maintenance hemodialysis. Blood samples from thirty persons receiving hemodialysis, as well as age and sex-matched controls, were analyzed for vitamin A, vitamin E, and carotene using a spectrofluorometric assay for vitamins A and E, and a spectrophotometric assay for carotene. Dietary intakes of vitamins A and E were estimated via verbal questioning. Samples of dialysate were also studied. Results of the investigation showed significantly elevated vitamin A, normal vitamin E, and decreased carotene levels in persons with renal failure receiving maintenance hemodialysis, when compared with controls. Vitamin E measured in dialysate samples and in plasma were higher than expected. It is possible that the plastic and the petroleum ether reacted during the assay and resulted in false high values. Vitamin intakes were not significantly different between the two groups when supplementation was considered. Dietary and supplemental intake of vitamin A is most likely not of importance in the hypervitaminosis A seen in renal failure, as physiological or biochemical roles appear to be the underlying cause of elevated vitamin A levels. A role of hypervitaminosis A in regulating phospholipase, unsaturated fatty acid production, and therefore prostaglandin synthesis is possibly a mechanism in altering platelet aggregation and clotting in persons receiving hemodialysis treatment.

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662aa874d5eeeef53eed71fa431b2984

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