The Effect of Total Thyroidectomy on Trace Elements, Namely Zinc and Copper in Patients with Thyroid Diseases

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of total thyroidectomy on serum levels of trace elements, namely zinc and copper, in patients with thyroid diseases. In this cross-sectional study, 42 patients with thyroid diseases according to laboratory and fine needle aspiration (FNA) results divided into two groups, including differentiated thyroid cancer group (papillary and follicular) and non-cancerous group (MNG: Multinodular goiter). Before the surgery, blood sample was taken to investigate the zinc and copper levels. The patients underwent total thyroidectomy. Four days after the surgery, serum zinc and copper levels were investigated again and compared. There was no significant difference in frequency of zinc (p value = 0.99) and copper (p value = 0.70) level in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy before and after the surgery. Without considering the diagnosis (MNG and PTC), zinc levels decreased significantly after the surgery (p value = 0.01) but copper levels did not differ significantly (p value = 0.93) before and after the surgery. In patients diagnosed with PTC, a significant decrease in zinc level was observed (p value = 0.04) after the surgery but the difference between the copper before and after the intervention was not significant (p value = 0.35). In patients diagnosed with MNG, no significant decrease in zinc level (p value = 0.14) and copper level (p value = 0.80) was observed after the surgery. According to the results of this study zinc serum levels had a significant decrease in patients who underwent total thyroidectomy 4 days after the surgery.