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Urinary zinc excretion in Crohn's disease

Digestive Diseases and Sciences volume 32, pages 358–362 (1987)Cite this article

Abstract

In order to study the reliability of urinary zinc levels as an index of zinc metabolism and status in Crohn's disease, we evaluated plasma and urinary zinc concentrations, urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion, and Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) in 42 patients affected by Crohn's disease. Plasma zinc correlated directly with albuminemia (P=0.01) and inversely with CDAI (P=0.001). Urinary zinc excretion correlated directly with urinary 3-methylhistidine (P=0.001) and plasma zinc levels (P=0.01), and inversely with CDAI (P=0.05). However, from multiple regression analysis, it was found that zincemia is influenced by CDAI and not by albumin, whereas zincuria is related to urinary 3-methylhistidine and plasma zinc, and not to CDAI. Our conclusion is that, in Crohn's disease, zincuria can be an index of zinc status when used together with measurements of lean body mass and turnover and factors influencing plasma ultrafiltrable zinc fraction.

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Affiliations

  1. Clinica Medica III, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy

    Loris Pironi MD, Mario Miglioli MD, Gian Luca Cornia MD, Maria Alessandra Ursitti MD, Mauro Tolomelli MD, Sandro Piazzi MD & Luigi Barbara MD

  2. Laboratorio Centralizzato, Policlinico S. Orsola, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy

    Loris Pironi MD, Mario Miglioli MD, Gian Luca Cornia MD, Maria Alessandra Ursitti MD, Mauro Tolomelli MD, Sandro Piazzi MD & Luigi Barbara MD

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  1. Loris Pironi MD
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  2. Mario Miglioli MD
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  3. Gian Luca Cornia MD
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  4. Maria Alessandra Ursitti MD
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  5. Mauro Tolomelli MD
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  6. Sandro Piazzi MD
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  7. Luigi Barbara MD
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Pironi, L., Miglioli, M., Cornia, G.L. et al. Urinary zinc excretion in Crohn's disease. Digest Dis Sci 32, 358–362 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01296288

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01296288

Key Words

  • zinc
  • Crohn's disease
  • Crohn's disease activity index