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Zinc levels after intravenous administration of zinc sulphate in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients

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Summary

Diabetic patients commonly have increased urinary excretion of zinc, although blood concentrations may be normal, lowered, or raised. We analyzed zinc levels in plasma and urine after an intravenous overload of zinc sulphate (8 mg) in 22 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and 22 healthy individuals. No significant differences were found in basal levels of serum zinc in either group (111±29 μg/dl in IDDM vs 119±19 μg/dl in controls), although urinary excretion of zinc was significantly raised in diabetics (1396±622 μg/24 h) versus controls (611±235 μg/24 h). After zinc overload, both serum and urinary levels of this element varied between the two groups. Serum zinc in IDDM patients initially increased more markedly, and subsequently showed a more significant decline, than in controls. Urinary zinc levels in IDDM patients, in contrast to control values, showed no increase after overload. These alterations in serum and urinary zinc concentrations suggest that our diabetic patients may be zinc-deficient.

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Abbreviations

IDDM:

insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Internal Medicine Service, Spain

    A. Maldonado Martín,  B. Gil Extremera, M. Ruiz Martínez & A. Guijarro Morales

  2. Endocrinology and Nutrition Service, Universitary Hospital, University of Granada, Spain

    M. Fernández Soto & A. González Jiménez

  3. Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain

    J. de Dios Luna del Castillo

  4. Departamento de Medicina, Avda. de Madrid s/n, E-18071, Granada, Spain

    B. Gil Extremera

Authors
  1. A. Maldonado Martín
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  2. B. Gil Extremera
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  3. M. Fernández Soto
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  4. M. Ruiz Martínez
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  5. A. González Jiménez
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  6. A. Guijarro Morales
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  7. J. de Dios Luna del Castillo
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Martín, A.M., Extremera, B.G., Soto, M.F. et al. Zinc levels after intravenous administration of zinc sulphate in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients. Klin Wochenschr 69, 640–644 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01649424

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01649424

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