Serum Concentrations of Trace Elements in Patients with Tuberculosis and Its Association with Treatment Outcome.

Abstract

Deficiencies in essential trace elements are associated with impaired immunity in tuberculosis infection. However, the trace element concentrations in the serum of Korean patients with tuberculosis have not yet been investigated. This study aimed to compare the serum trace element concentrations of Korean adult patients with tuberculosis with noninfected controls and to assess the impact of serum trace element concentration on clinical outcome after antituberculosis treatment. The serum concentrations of four trace elements in 141 consecutively recruited patients with tuberculosis and 79 controls were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Demographic characteristics were also analyzed. Serum cobalt and copper concentrations were significantly higher in patients with tuberculosis compared with controls, while zinc and selenium concentrations were significantly lower (p < 0.01). Moreover, serum selenium and zinc concentrations were positively correlated (ρ = 0.41, p < 0.05). A high serum copper concentration was associated with a worse clinical outcome, as assessed after one month of antituberculosis therapy. Specifically, culture-positive patients had higher serum copper concentrations than culture-negative patients (p < 0.05). Patients with tuberculosis had altered serum trace element concentrations. Further research is needed to elucidate the roles of individual trace elements and to determine their clinical impact on patients with tuberculosis.

• Authors: Rihwa Choi, Hyoung-Tae Kim, Yaeji Lim, Min-Ji Kim, O Jung Kwon, Kyeongman Jeon, Hye Yun Park, Byeong-Ho Jeong, Won-Jung Koh, Soo-Youn Lee
• Journal: Nutrients (Nutrients) Vol. 7 Issue 7 Pg. 5969-81 (Jul 21 2015) ISSN: 2072-6643 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 26197334 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antitubercular Agents
• Trace Elements

Topics

• Adult
• Antitubercular Agents (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nutritional Status
• Republic of Korea (epidemiology)
• Trace Elements (blood)
• Treatment Outcome
• Tuberculosis (blood, drug therapy, epidemiology)