European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

EVALUATION OF SERUM LEVELS OF ZINC AND COPPER IN SUDANESE PATIENTS WITH PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS

Mihad Elsadig Hussein* and Salma Ali Albashir

ABSTRACT

Background: Deficiencies in essential trace elements are associated with impaired immunity in tuberculosis infection. However, the trace element concentrations in the serum of Sudanese patients with tuberculosis have not yet been investigated. Objective: This study aimed to compare the serum trace element concentrations of Sudanese adult patients with tuberculosis with normal controls and to assess the impact of serum trace element concentration on clinical outcome of tuberculosis patients. Methodology: The serum concentrations of zinc and copper in 50 consecutively recruited patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis and 40 controls were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Result: Serum zinc and copper concentrations were significantly lower in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis compared with controls (p=0.00, p=0.00) respectively. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that TB patients have significant decrease in copper and zinc level.

Keywords: tuberculosis, trace elements, flame atomic absorption spectrometry, Sudan.