The assessment of plasma ascorbic acid, alpha tocopherol and albumin creatinine ratio in patients with chronic renal failure

• Published in: Nigerian quarterly journal of hospital medicine Vol. 21; no. 4; p. 294
• Main Authors: Oboh, H A, Idogun, E S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nigeria 01-10-2011
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Albumins - analysis; Albumins - metabolism; alpha-Tocopherol - blood; Antioxidants - analysis; Antioxidants - metabolism; Ascorbic Acid - blood; Creatinine - blood; Female; Humans; Kidney Failure, Chronic - blood; Kidney Failure, Chronic - metabolism; Kidney Failure, Chronic - physiopathology; Male; Middle Aged; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0189-2657

Albumin: creatinine ratio is used to assess chronic renal damage while the status of Antioxidant vitamins could be compromised in chronic renal failure patients.
To assess the levels of Antioxidant vitamins and Albumin creatinine ratio, in patients with chronic renal failure. (CRF) METHODS. Thirty patients (15 males, 15 females), aged 17-80 years old diagnosed as having chronic renal failure but clinically stable were recruited from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. The control subjects were apparently healthy individuals. Blood and urine samples were collected for antioxidant Vitamin C and E, albumin and creatinine assays respectively.
Plasma vitamin E level significantly decreased ( p < 0.05) while Plasma vitamin C showed no significant difference (p > 0.05), in chronic renal failure patients when compared to the control subjects. Albumin creatinine ratio was significantly increased ( p < 0.05) compared to the control groups
There are reduced levels of plasma antioxidant vitamins C and E in patients with chronic renal failure. These findings suggest that supplementation with antioxidant vitamins C and E could be beneficial to slow down the process of progressive renal damage in CRF. However we advice that more interventional studies be carried out on a larger scale to truly establish the beneficial effects of antioxidant supplementation in CRF patients.