Estimation of zinc levels in advanced liver cirrhosis

ABSTRACT

Thirty cases were studied in this work. All of them had advanced liver cirrhosis with ascites and 12 cases had history of recurrent hematemesis. For all the cases estimation of plasma and ascitic proteins including albumin and alpha-2-globulins, zinc estimation in serum, urine, R.B.C, ascitic fluid, hair and nails was done by the atomic absorption spectro-photometric method. Results showed marked and proportionate decrease in both serum and ascitic fluid zinc, together with an increased zinc load in urine. These changes were maximal in cases with advanced liver failure and in cases with tense ascites. Also there was marked decrease in R.B.C. and nail zinc, which was more marked in cases with recurrent hematemesis. Hair zinc was only markedly low in cases with advanced liver failure. Absence of correlation between ascitic zinc level and the level of its carrier protein, but a positive correlation to its serum level was detected