Zinc status in chronic liver disease; studies in Nigerian patients

Serum and urinary zinc were assessed in 53 patients with a variety of chronic liver diseases (CLD) and 59 healthy volunteers using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Liver zinc was also assessed in 18 patients and 10 controls. All patients had significantly lower serum zinc (mean = 36.3 +/- 2.9 ug/dl) than controls (79.3 +/- 4.0 ug/dl) and higher urinary excretion (651.0 +/- 53 ug/24 hrs) than controls (316.0 +/- 26 ug/24 hrs). Mean liver zinc was also lower in cirrhotic patients (85.10 +/- 21.31 ug/g) than control values (112.40 +/- 31.72 ug/g) but patients with schistosomiasis had identical values with controls. Decreasing levels were noted from chronic hepatitis through cirrhosis to primary liver cancer and decompensated patients had lower levels than well-compensated disease. No difference was seen between alcoholic and non-alcoholic cirrhotics. This study indicates that hyperzincuria occurs in association with zinc deficiency in CLD, an abnormality which may be important in the genesis of some features of the disease.