Assessment of Plasma Levels of Zinc and Copper among Sudanese with Bronchial Asthma

Abstract

This is case control , hospital based study was carried out to measure the levels of zinc and copper in Sudanese asthmatic patients attending alshaab teaching hospital, Khartoum state, during the period from may to june 2015 Fifty Sudanese asthmatic patients, including 30 males (aged 20-90years), and 20 females (aged 18-80years), were enrolled in this study, also fifty apparently healthy individual to serve as control group (aged 18-90), including 30 males and 20 females. Five ml of venous blood were collected from each participant, the plasma obtained; zinc and copper levels were measured by Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Statistical analysis of obtained results revealed that; mean of plasma levels of zinc was significantly lower among asthmatic patients compared to control group (p value 0.002), while the mean of copper levels was significantly higher (p value 0.003). In asthmatic patients plasma levels of zinc and copper not influenced by age (p value copper 0.436, zinc 0.114) and sex (p value copper 0.584, zinc 0.377) and body mass index (p value copper 0.638, zinc 0.868) and duration of disease (p value copper 0.356, zinc 0.652) . In conclusion depletion of plasma zinc may contribute to the disturbed trace elements concentration in asthmatic patients, and will be consider in the treatment and follow up of asthmatic patients to well fitness and better life.