| Abstract The aim of present study was to compare levels of
serum zinc and haptoglobin between patients with chronic
active hepatitis C and controls. Two groups including Azeri
patients with chronic active hepatitis C (n=274) and their
healthy family members (n=100) were studied. Serum zinc
and haptoglobin were measured using colorimetric and nephelometric
methods, respectively. Patients were 156 males
(56.9 %) and 118 females (43.1 %) with the mean age of
40.15±12.24 years. Controls were 56 males (56 %) and 44
females (44 %) with the mean age of 39.32±4.40 (p=0.87 for
sex and 0.51 for age). Both the mean levels of serum zinc
(72.04±19.08 vs. 106.18±25.52 μg/dL) and haptoglobin
(0.72±0.45 vs. 1.08±0.34 g/L) were significantly lower in
patients than in controls (p<0.001 for both comparisons).
Serum zinc concentration was significantly higher in males
and did not correlate significantly with age, serum glutamic
pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), or serum glutamic oxaloacetic
transaminase (SGOT). Serum haptoglobin did not differ significantly
between males and females, and it correlated significantly
with age (r=−0.20), serum SGPT (r=−0.22), and
SGOT (r=−0.20). This study showed lower levels of serum
zinc and haptoglobin in patients with chronic hepatitis C than
in controls. Major confounding factors in previous studies
were left out. |