Pages: 8-14

Abstract

Background and Objective: Chronic renal disease (CRD) is a growing worldwide problem. The worldwide prevalence of ‎CRD is high and the number of patients with end–stage renal disease (ESRD) has ‎dramatically increased in the past few decades. The aim of the present study was to assess ‎the influence, relationship and alteration in serum cadmium concentrations in renal diseased ‎patients. Subjects were selected from Sumathi Hospital, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India for the ‎study. A sample size of 75 from in and out-patients was selected and serum samples were ‎collected from them after proper consent and subjected to cadmium analysis by Atomic ‎absorption spectrophotometry. Among the age group of 51 to 60 years, 53% of the patients ‎were found to have cadmium influenced renal disease. Cadmium toxicity induced renal ‎disease was observed in men and they constituted 69% of the study population. Among ‎those with cadmium influenced renal disease, 56% were smokers. Among the study group, ‎‎45% had diabetic nephropathy while 31% had chronic renal failure. Those with ‎glomerulonephritis and interstitial nephritis were 19% and 5% respectively. Thirty three ‎percent of the patients were found to contain serum cadmium levels between 0.001 – ‎‎0.01ppm. The results showed that the influence of cadmium was significant on the majority ‎of the renal diseases. A study focussing on a single renal disease and cadmium levels would ‎shed a clearer light on the relationship between cadmium and its deleterious effect on ‎kidney functions‎.