ORAL SUBSTITUTION OF ZINC IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASES

During the last years there was an increase in research about the role of trace elements in inflammatory diseases of unknown etiology. In th is connection zinc is one of the most important elements especially as a factor influencing immunology. There are even methodical difficulti es in the determination of trace elements in various groups. This is t he reason for greatly differing results in the current literature. Mis interpretations of the functional efficacy of zinc in the human organi sm led to unjustified employment of trace element substitution or, on the ether hand, to a denial of necessary trace element substitution. I n the present study we try to answer the question whether an oral subs titution of zinc is possible at all in patients with chronic inflammat ory diseases, how frequently it is recommended or necessary. A randomi zed, placebo-controlled, and double-blind study was developed and perf ormed in patients with chronic pancreatitis, ulcerative colitis and Cr ohn's disease to answer this question. Zinc was determined in the seru m as well as in leucocytes. A leucocyte preparation method for determi nation of the leucocyte zinc level, which had proven to be reliable in a previous study, was chosen to achieve the best possible result. In the present study a short-term positive effect on the degraded intrace llular zinc content was observed by oral substitution of zinc, especia lly in patients with Crohn's disease, which could not be demonstrated in comparison with the placebo group. A long-term effect could not be demonstrated. There were no changes of serum zinc, iron, and copper co ntents in all 3 diseases under the therapy.