Comparative study of zinc metabolism in different types of liver cirrhosis

ABSTRACT

Thirty cases were the subject of the study. They were classified according to liver biopsy and pathological study to pure bilharzial cirrhosis cases, post-hepatitic cirrhotics and mixed cirrhotics [combined billarazial and post-hepatitic]. For all the patients serum enzymes GOT, GPT and alkaline phosphatase level, plasma proteins including albumin and alpha-2 globulin fraction. Zinc level estimation in serum, R.B.C[s], hair, nails, urine and liver tissue was done using atomic absorption spectrophotomeric method. We found that all the cases had low zinc level in serum and all tissues and higher urinary excretion than normal subjects previously studied, and that the severer the hepatic injury, the lower was serum and tissue zinc and the higher was the urinary one. So the highest changes were in cases with post-hepatitic cirrhosis and the least changes in pure bilharzial cases. We concluded that serum and urinary zinc estimation form a simple and reliable method for estimation of liver injury, its extent and recovery-process