BORON-DIFFUSION ACROSS THE DIALYSIS MEMBRANE DURING HEMODIALYSIS

To investigate the movement of boron across the dialysis membrane, ser um and dialysate boron levels of long-term hemodialysis (HD) patients (n = 17) were determined using inductively coupled plasma emission spe ctrometry in both the inlet and the outlet side of the dialyzer, Resul ts revealed that 77.8% of the serum baron in the inlet side of the dia lyzer was filterable and 94.4% of filterable boron was actually filter ed during HD. Baron dialysance was found to be 138.6 +/- 16.1 ml/min, and this value was higher than the clearance value of blood urea nitro gen (not significant), phosphorus and creatinine (p < 0.001). It is co ncluded that HD is effective in eliminating serum boron even at low co ncentrations, and boron can be classified as an element that is easily diffusible across the dialysis membrane, There seems to be relatively little relation of boron to serum constituents of macromolecules that are reported to have a major impact on the diffusion of trace element s across the HD membrane.