Serum zinc, copper levels, and copper/zinc ratios in infants with sepsis syndrome

We investigated 22 infants with sepsis syndrome, 16 infants with either upp er respiratory or urinary tract infection (URTI+UTI), and 11 healthy infant s with the purpose of evaluating serum zinc, copper levels, and copper/zinc ratios. Serum zinc and copper levels were lower in infants with sepsis com pared to healthy infants and infants with mild infection, but the differenc es were not significant. We also found very low serum zinc levels in septic nonsurvivors (below 10.7 mu mol/L, in 4 of 6 cases). Serum zinc levels aft er therapy in sepsis survivors were found to increase significantly compare d to initial levels. We concluded that: (1) serum zinc and copper levels de creased by a correlation of the severity of infection, and (2) the measurem ent of serum zinc levels may be a prognostic indicator of sepsis in infancy . J. Trace. Elem. Exp. Med. 13:265-270, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.