Association between Reduced Serum Zinc and Diastolic Dysfunction in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients

• Main Authors: Jiun-Chi Huang, Ya-Chin Huang, Pei-Yu Wu, Wen-Hsien Lee, Yi-Chun Tsai, Yi-Ping Chen, Szu-Chia Chen, Ho-Ming Su, Yi-Wen Chiu, Jer-Ming Chang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: serum zinc; diastolic function; E/e’ ratio; left atrial volume index; hemodialysis
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/6/2077

Diastolic dysfunction is an emerging challenge among hemodialysis (HD) patients, and the associations between serum zinc with echocardiographic parameters and diastolic function remain uncertain. A total of 185 maintenance HD patients were stratified by the tertiles of serum zinc level to compare their clinical characteristics and echocardiography. Correlations of serum zinc levels with echocardiographic parameters were examined using Pearson’s analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the determinants of E/e’ ratio >15 and left atrial volume index (LAVI) > 34 mL/m², both indicators of diastolic dysfunction. Patients belonging to the first tertile of serum zinc level had a significantly higher E/e’ ratio and LAVI. Serum zinc levels were negatively correlated with E (<i>r</i> = −0.204, <i>p</i> = 0.005), E/e’ ratio (<i>r</i> = −0.217, <i>p</i> = 0.003), and LAVI (<i>r</i> = −0.197, <i>p</i> = 0.007). In a multivariate analysis, older age, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and lower serum zinc levels (OR = 0.974, 95% CI = 0.950–0.999, <i>p</i> = 0.039) were significantly associated with E/e’ ratio >15. Furthermore, diabetes and lower serum zinc levels (OR = 0.978, 95% CI = 0.958–0.999, <i>p</i> = 0.041) were significantly associated with LAVI >34 mL/m². Reduced serum zinc level was significantly associated with diastolic dysfunction among HD patients. Further prospective studies are warranted to investigate whether zinc supplementation can attenuate cardiac dysfunction in maintenance HD patients.