Serum copper and zinc levels in Nigerian type 2 diabetic patients

Abstract

is characterised by high metabolic and oxida- tive stress, and there is evidence that trace elements such as zinc and copper are important co-factors in these processes. We therefore have measured serum zinc and copper levels in type 2 diabetic subjects from Nigeria. Fifty-three (53) diabetic patients and 50 age-matched non-diabetic control subjects were included in this study. Serum zinc, serum copper, and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were measured among the diabetic and control groups and the association of both trace elements compared with glycaemic status, age, gender, and duration of diabetes. The serum zinc level was significantly lower ( 11.9±2.9 mmol/L) in diabetic patients as compared with control subjects (14.6±2.5 mmol/L, p<0.001). A significantly higher difference was observed in serum copper levels with a mean of 23.3±4.3 mmol/L in diabetic patients as compared with 19.9±3.9 mmol/L (p<0.001) in controls. There was no association with age, gender, glycae- mic status, and duration of diabetes with the serum concentration of these trace elements in the type-2 diabetic patients studied.