42 patients between 21 and 63 years of age with chronic renal failure (CRF) treated with haemodialysis and 16 healthy subjects between 19 and 72 years of age were observed. All patients were divided in two groups: 15 patients treated with haemodialysis with cuprophan dialyser used first time and 27 patients treated with haemodialysis with cuprophan dialyser used more than three times. The blood samples in haemodialyzed patients were withdrawn four times: just before dialysis, during haemodialysis (after one hour of dialysis at both ends of the dialyzer) and after haemodialysis. Chromium and cadmium concentration in all examined groups, in dialysis fluid and in demineralized water were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. During haemodialysis a decrease of serum chromium concentration and an increase of serum cadmium concentration in two groups of haemodialyzed patients were observed. No significant differences in serum chromium and cadmium concentration before dialysis, during dialysis and after dialysis were observed between two groups of haemodialyzed patients.
Conclusion: The multiple use of cuprophan dialser did not influence significantly serum chromium and cadmium concentration in haemodialyzed patients.