SERUM COPPER AND ZINC LEVELS AND COPPER/ZINC RATIO IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

S. Mohammed, Israa; K. Mohammed, Alaa; Y.Z. Farid, Yahya

	SERUM COPPER AND ZINC LEVELS AND COPPER/ZINC RATIO IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
IRAQI JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES
Article 1, Volume 4, Issue 1, 2005, Pages 49-56
Authors
Israa S. Mohammed; Alaa K. Mohammed; Yahya Y.Z. Farid
Abstract
Background: Trace elements particularly copper and zinc have a great role in a number of biological processes, therefore estimation of these metals in serum of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients may ameliorate the understanding of trends in the relationship between the serum copper and zinc levels and activity of disease. Objective:To determine the serum copper and zinc levels and its relation with the degree of disease activity and compare with a normal group. Methods:The investigation was carried out on forty-three healthy (25 females, 18 males) and fifty-four(37 females, 17 males) sick adults.The patients were subdivided according to the activity of the disease(Tentative EULAR Criteria) in to two groups. Of them 29 patients (21 female, 8 male) had low disease activity [age range 32-65 years] and twenty-five patients(16 female, 9 male) had high disease activity [age range 22-52 years]. They were compared with 43 healthy control [age range19-64 years]. Serum copper and zinc were determined by using the atomic absorption specrtophotometry. Results: Serum copper level and copper/zinc ratio in patients with RA in both groups were significantly increased than the control group. In addition the serum zinc level in patients with low activity RA was significantly decreased and more in high activity disease. Conclutions: As a result, the alteration of copper and zinc levels in the sera patients with RA can related to degree of disease activity and enable to shed more light on the role of trace elements in both physiological and pathological states. Key words: Background: Trace elements particularly copper and zinc have a great role in a number of biological processes, therefore estimation of these metals in serum of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients may ameliorate the understanding of trends in the relationship between the serum copper and zinc levels and activity of disease. Objective:To determine the serum copper and zinc levels and its relation with the degree of disease activity and compare with a normal group. Methods:The investigation was carried out on forty-three healthy (25 females, 18 males) and fifty-four(37 females, 17 males) sick adults.The patients were subdivided according to the activity of the disease(Tentative EULAR Criteria) in to two groups. Of them 29 patients (21 female, 8 male) had low disease activity [age range 32-65 years] and twenty-five patients(16 female, 9 male) had high disease activity [age range 22-52 years]. They were compared with 43 healthy control [age range19-64 years]. Serum copper and zinc were determined by using the atomic absorption specrtophotometry. Results: Serum copper level and copper/zinc ratio in patients with RA in both groups were significantly increased than the control group. In addition the serum zinc level in patients with low activity RA was significantly decreased and more in high activity disease. Conclutions: As a result, the alteration of copper and zinc levels in the sera patients with RA can related to degree of disease activity and enable to shed more light on the role of trace elements in both physiological and pathological states. Key words: Rheumatoid Arthtitis, copper, zinc, and serum. .
Keywords
Rheumatoid Arthtitis; copper; Zinc; and serum

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