Assessment of Plasma Zinc and Copper Levels Among Sudanese HIV Patients in Khartoum State

Abstract

Descriptive cross-sectional study was conduct in the Voluntary Counseling and Testing Center (VCT) center in bashaer hospital in Khartoum, the aim of the present study to assess plasma Zinc and copper Levels among Sudanese HIV Patients and correlate it with age, sex and duration of infection Blood samples obtained from 40 HIV sero-positive individuals and 18 healthy controls from the same community were analysed for zinc, and copper and using atomic absorption spectroscopy device.Then data were analyzed by statistical (SPSS version 16) computer software. The results of the present study showed that, there was significant increase in the mean plasma copper levels in HIV patients (22.9±1.7 μmol/L) when compared with control group(16.3±3.3 μmol/L) with (P-value < 0.05). Also there was significant decrease in the mean plasma zinc levels in patients(7.1±0.95μmol/L) compared with control group(11.5±3.07 μmol/L) with (P-value < 0.05).In addition the present study showed weak positive correlation between copper level and duration of disease(r =0.197, p.value =0.223) and age of patients (r =0.385, p.value =0.05). Insignificant difference when compared the of plasma copper level between male (22.8±.73μmol/l)and female (23.2±3.16 μmol/l) in HIV patients (p.value = 0.451). The results of the present study showed that, there is strong negative correlation between plasma zinc levels and duration of disease (r = -0.552, p.value =0.00) And age of patients (r = - 0.690, p.value = 0.01). and insignificant difference when Compare plasma zinc level between male (7.1±0.92 μmol/l) and female (7.3±1.03 μmol/l) in HIV patients ( p.value = 0.554). In Conclusion these study demonstrated decreased mean plasma zinc in HIV seropositive cases when compared with the controls, conversely copper were increased when compared with the controls