Urinary zinc excretion and zinc status of patients with beta-thalassemia major

In this study, zinc status and urinary zinc excretion with and without desferrioxamine (DFO) infusion and the relationship between urinary zinc excretion and renal tubular dysfunction in thalassemia major (TM) patients were investigated. Forty TM patients were given four DFO infusions on alternate days over a 1-wk period prior to the transfusion. On each day that DFO was given, a 24-h urine collection initiated. DFO was omitted for 1-wk before the following transfusion and during the period four 24-h urine collections were performed. Twenty healthy children provided 24-h urine collection as controls. Blood samples were taken on each of two consecutive transfusion days of the patients and from the controls. Urinary zinc excretion was measured and plasma and red blood cell (RBC) zinc analysis were performed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrophotometry. Urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity and creatinine were determined in morning urine specimens. The mean plasma zinc concentration was significantly lower in the patients not given DFO compared to the values of the patients given DFO and the control group. The mean RBC zinc concentration (micromol/g Hb) in the patients (with and without DFO) and the control group were similar. Urinary zinc excretion was significantly higher in the patients receiving DFO compared to the control group, whereas urinary zinc excretion in the patients not given DFO was not different from the controls. Urinary NAG indices (U/g Cr) were significantly higher in the patients compared to controls. Urinary zinc excretion was correlated with the urinary NAG indices.