Analysis index

2 ml serum or

2 ml lithium-heparin blood

Under no circumstances use a monovette with kaolin supplements (small balls), as these contain aluminium! To avoid contamination of the sample by using the wrong extraction tube, we recommend collecting the sample by using a special monovette tube (LH-metal analytics) for metal testing, which we provide on request. Patient needs to be empty-stomached for blood collection.

< 7,5 µg/l

Dialysis patients:

acceptable: < 60 µg/l

alarming: > 100 µg/l

toxic: > 200 µg/l

Dialysis, encephalopathy, osteomalacia

Increased values in dialysis patients, if antacids for phosphate binding in the intestines are taken. The significance of aluminium in connection with encephalopathy is disputed.

Work-related increase due to exposition with aluminium fine dusts. Aluminium intoxication can lead to vitamin D resistant osteomalacia. High aluminium levels inhibit the effect of erythropoietin.

Due to the short half-life, the aluminium levels of kidney-healthy patients only reflect the last few hours of exposure.