BLOODPLASMA, ERYTHROCYTE AND LEUKOCYTE ZINC, COPPER, AND MAGNESIUM OFPATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

Plasma, intraleukocytic and intraerythrocytic zinc, cooper, and magnes ium levels of patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were and were not receiving tenoxicam have been determined. The results of the patients who were not receiving tenoxicam are as follows: plasma levels (mu mo l/l): zinc 15.4 +/- 0.41 (arithmetic mean +/- standard error of the me an), copper 21.2 +/- 0.82, magnesium 1,120 +/- 15.8. Intraleukocytic l evels (ng/10(6) cells) zinc 17.5 +/- 2.64, copper 0.451 +/- 0.064, mag nesium 60.0 +/- 5.68. Intraerythrocytic levels (mu g/10(10) cells): zi nc 5.20 +/- 0.61, copper 2.64 +/- 0.44, magnesium 66.1 +/- 4.87. There was no significant difference between all 3 element levels of patient s who were or were not receiving tenoxicam. Plasma, leukocyte, and ery throcyte zinc levels of both groups of patients were lower (p < 0.001) , copper levels were higher (p < 0.001) than those of healthy subjects . Plasma and leukocyte magnesium levels of both groups of patients and only erythrocyte magnesium levels of patients receiving tenoxicam wer e higher (p < 0.01) than those of healthy control group.