ZINC, COPPER, MANGANESE, AND IRON IN CHRONIC-ALCOHOLIC LIVER-DISEASE

Ethanol consumption and/or liver damage may alter liver content of sev eral trace elements, as iron, zinc, copper, and manganese. This altera tion may play a role on ongoing liver fibrogenesis. Based on these fac ts we have determined liver, serum, and urinary Mn, Cu, Zn, and Fe lev els in a group of alcoholic cirrhotics and noncirrhotics with normal r enal function, comparing them with those of controls. We have observed low liver zinc and high liver copper-this last in relation with histo morphometrically determined total amount of liver fibrosis-and mangane se contents in cirrhotics, together with increased excretion of zinc a nd iron and decreased excretion of manganese. Zinc, iron, and copper e xcretion kept a relation with data of severity of cirrhosis, including mortality in the case of urinary copper, independently of the use of diuretics. Thus, liver copper and urinary iron, zinc, and copper excre tion seem to be related with data of severity of chronic alcoholic liv er disease. Low urinary manganese excretion may play a role on liver m anganese overload. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.