Evaluation of Zinc Plasma Level in Iranian Cirrhotic Patients due to Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C

Zinc (zn) has various significant roles in physiological functions of the liver. furthermore, it hasbeen reported that the administration of zinc has an important role in pharmacotherapy of viral hepatitis. cirrhoticpatients with decrease in plasma zinc level have been covered in previous studies. it is seemingly necessary to assessthe zinc level, in iranian cirrhotic patients, as a distinct population, because of the large phytate amounts in iraniansdiet. regarding to etiology, disease progress, and treatment, there are some differences in the 2 most common causesof cirrhosis in the iranian population (hepatitis b and hepatitis c) and it is possible that the zinc level may be differentbetween the two. this study was done to shadow some lights on the subject.methods: between april 2008 and november 2008, plasma zinc level was determined, by atomic absorption method, in60 cirrhotic inpatients treated due to hepatitis b or hepatitis c in talighani hospital (a referral center for gastrointestinaland liver diseases in tehran, iran).results: mean ± standard deviation (sd) plasma zinc levels determined 0.34±0.22 mg/l and 0.37±0.22 mg/l in hepatitisb and hepatitis c patients respectively. analysis of t-test showed there is no significant difference between 2 groupsregarding to plasma zinc level (p = 0.745).conclusions: it is concluded that zinc level of studied cirrhotic patients is less than half of the normal range. moreover,there is no difference in plasma zinc level between cirrhotic patients due to hepatitis b or hepatitis c. regarding to thisresult, supplementation with complementary zinc, may be recommended in both groups in order to optimize the nutritionalsupport and probably better the treatment response.