Chromium Determinations in Blood Cells

Abstract

As an essential nutrient involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, chromium is of extraordinary importance for patients with diabetes. Plasma concentrations do not reflect the chromium supply; thus, we determined the element's content in blood cells in order to evaluate the body status. We investigated 86 blood donors (C) and 35 diabetics type 2 (Dm2). After the isolation of the blood cells by using a density centrifugation, the chromium concentrations were determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Compared to C, Dm2 had higher values in plasma, erythrocytes, and platelets (248%, 61%, and 91%, respectively) and lower contents in polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes (each -35%, age- and sex-matched groups with n=35, each p<0.01). The poorer the metabolic control assessed by HbA1c, the higher were the chromium concentrations in plasma (r=+0.46, n=33, p=0.007, increase 11.1% per %HbA1c) and the lower were the values in mononuclear leukocytes (r=-0.45, n=33, p=0.008, decrease 17.8% per %HbA1c). The changed amounts in plasma and in mononuclear cells in increasing hyperglycemia could be the result of an intracellular/extracellular redistribution of the element. High plasma levels might explain the renal chromium losses of diabetics, whereas the lymphocytes could reflect a decreasing chromium body state.

Aqueous Humor and Serum Levels of Chromium in Cataract Patients with and without Diabetes Mellitus

“…Some studies have reported a relation between T2DM and Cr levels in serum and blood cells [18, 19]. Rukgauer and Zeyfang [18] reported that T2DM patients have higher Cr content in the plasma, erythrocytes, and platelets and lower content in polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes compared with the control group.…”

“…Rukgauer and Zeyfang [18] reported that T2DM patients have higher Cr content in the plasma, erythrocytes, and platelets and lower content in polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes compared with the control group. We found lower levels of serum Cr in patients with T2DM than in the control group.…”