Fluoride Action Network

Abstract

Based on evidence that fluoride ion (F) increases the production of reactive oxygen species, inhibits antioxidant enzyme activity, and enhances lipid peroxidation, a study of these effects was conducted on 52 patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), of whom 33 were under going chronic haemodialysis (HD) with the use of polysulphone membrane dialysers, while 19 with less advanced CRF, who were not undergoing HD, were treated conservatively with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and diuretics. Serum concentrations of F, Cu, Zn, Se, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), along with serum activity levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), were measured. Although serum F levels were higher both before (p<0.001) and after (p<0.002) HD than in the conservatively treated group, HD resulted in a statistically significant (p<0.005) decrease of the F level. In both patient groups, a positive correlation was found between the levels of serum F and TBARS. In patients undergoing HD, a negative correlation was observed between the serum F level before HD and SOD activity (p<0.01) on the one hand and copper levels (p<0.0004) on the other. In the conservatively treated patients not undergoing HD, the GPx activity level in the serum was positively correlated with the F level. Thus an oxidation promoting action of F in patients with CRF was confirmed