Serum Copper and Zinc Levels in Thai Patients with
Various Diseasest
SRIWATANA SONGCHITSOMBOON, D.Sc.*,
ARUNLUCK KOMINDR, M.D.***,
ORAWAN PUCHAIWATANANON,D.Sc.**,
SURAT KOMINDR, M.D.**,
SW AIRIN KULAPONGSE, M.Sc. *,
UMAPORN UDOMSUBPAY AKUL, M.Sc. *
Affiliation : * Research Center,
** Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400.
*** Rajavithi General Hospital, Department of Medical Services, Ministry of Public Health, Bangkok I 0400, Thailand.
AbstractThis study was conducted to evaluate the possible alteration of serum Cu and Zn levels in
118 medical inpatients (53 women and 65 men) in Ramathibodi Hospital. Patients were classified
according to their main clinical diseases: pulmonary (n = I 2), renal (14 ), infectious (30), malignant
(9), cardiovascular (22), GI & hepatic (13) and hematological (18) diseases. Significantly increased
serum Cu concentrations were found in patients with pulmonary, malignant, cardiovascular and
infectious diseases; moreover, 75, 75, 50 and 37 per cent of these diseases, respectively, had serum
levels greater than the normal mean+2SD (23.6 flmol/L). Besides, 5 per cent of patients (3 in renal,
I in infectious and 2 in GI & hepatic diseases) had low serum Cu levels suggestive of Cu depletion.
By contrast, significantly decreased serum Zn concentrations were found in patients with GI &
hepatic, infectious, renal, cardiovascular and malignant diseases. Serum Zn levels below the normal
mean-2SD (8.1 f.imol/L) were presented in 46, 37, 29, 23 and 22 per cent of cases, respectively. It was
found that serum Cu/Zn ratio in our patients not only with cancer but also with other diseases were
statistically significant from the normal group. Hence, the use of serum Cu/Zn ratios as markers
for the diagnosis of cancer or for staging tumors must be interpreted cautiously.
Keywords : Copper, Zinc, Diseases
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