Interaction of cadmium, zinc and copper in relation to smoking habit, age and histopathological findings in human kidney cortex.

In this study the concentrations of cadmium, zinc and copper were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 51 post mortem kidney cortex samples. A histopathological examination of the kidney was also performed. These parameters, together with age and smoking habit, were statistically related by means of factor analysis. The results show that the first factor associated smoking habit, cadmium and zinc and the second factor histopathological findings and age.