A. Rosas et al., SERUM COPPER AND ZINC LEVELS AND CU ZN RA TIO IN LYMPHOMA AND ACUTE AND CHRONIC LEUKEMIA/, Revista de Investigacion Clinica, 47(6), 1995, pp. 447-452
Objective. To determine the diagnostic value of serum levels of copper
, zinc and the Cu/Zn ratio in patients with hematological malignancies
compared to gender-and age-matched control subjects. Methods. A total
of 44 patients with recently diagnosed and non-treated hematological
malignancies were included: 17 lymphoma (11 non-Hodgkin), 15 acute leu
kemia (10 myeloblastic), and 12 with chronic leukemia (8 granulocytic)
; 95 healthy subjects were included. Copper and zinc serum levels were
measured with a Perkin Elmer (model 2380) atomic absorption spectroph
otometer. Results. Serum copper levels (mu g/dL) were significantly lo
wer in healthy subjects (54.4 +/- 8.9, p < 0.05) compared to patients
with lymphoma (93.7 +/- 37.5), acute leukemia (80.6 +/- 44.6) or chron
ic leukemia (95.7 +/- 28.9) while serum zinc levels (mu g/dL) were sig
nificantly higher in healthy control subjects (100.4 +/- 14, p < 0.05)
compared to patients with lymphoma (77.2 +/- 22.6), acute leukemia (6
6 +/- 15.6), or chronic leukemia (74.8 +/- 14.7). The Cu/Zn ratio was
significantly lower in healthy subjects (0.54 +/- 0.13, p < 0.05) than
in patients with lymphoma (1.21 +/- 0.5), acute leukemia (1.22 +/- 0.
7), or chronic leukemia (1.28 +/- 0.4). Twenty three patients died dur
ing a mean follow-up period of 13 months and their serum zinc levels w
ere significantly lower (68 +/- 21) than in the living patients (76 +/
- 15, p < 0.05). Conclusion. Cu/Zn ratio is significantly higher in pa
tients with lymphoma or acute and chronic leukemias compared to gender
- and age-matched control subjects.