Volume 52, Number 8
August 2023

High exposure to heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury can cause nephrotoxicity.

A study highlights the protective effects of micronutrients against chronic kidney disease (CKD). While high blood levels of heavy metals increased the risk of CKD, elevated plasma selenium and serum zinc levels may interact with low-toxicity heavy metals to reduce CKD risk.

Illustration by Ngiam Li Yi

Micronutrients and kidney health

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a structural and functional disorder of the kidney caused by many diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and glomerular disease.1 There are many factors that contribute to the development and progression of CKD, and often, we do not look at the exposure of heavy metals...

Impact of pre-existing depression on severe COVID-19 outcomes

The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in 2019 had rapidly developed into a global pandemic, causing more than 6.8 million deaths and impacting the lives of billions of individuals around the world.1 Public healthcare around the work have mainly focused on the clinical manifestations and treatment of the deadly...

Association of anticoagulation use during continuous kidney replacement therapy and 90-day outcomes: A multicentre study

Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects 21.6% of critically ill adult patients,1 with 5–7% requiring kidney replacement therapy (KRT).2 AKI carries significant prognostic and socioeconomic implications—chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression over 1 year has been described in 21%, 30%, and 79% of initial survivors with septic AKI reversal, recovery and...

Plasma selenium and zinc alter associations between nephrotoxic metals and chronic kidney disease: Results from NHANES database 2011–2018

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a clinical condition comprising persistent changes in kidney function or structure, or both. It is characterised by irreversible and progressive evolution, increasing the risk of complications and mortality. As the 16th leading cause of mortality worldwide, CKD affects 8–16% of the global population.1,2 Clinically,...

Poorer outcomes following COVID-19 infection for patients with depression: A cohort analysis in South Korea

In the early days of the pandemic, a major public health focus was to slow the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, the emphasis was on protecting the elderly, immunocompromised, and patients with respiratory and other underlying medical conditions. However, as COVID-19 continues to prolong, the concept of a new “normal”...

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