Original Article

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006) 60, 580–586. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602352; published online 7 December 2005

Alterations in serum levels of trace elements in tuberculosis and HIV infections

Guarantor: A Kassu.

Contributors: AK was responsible for the design of research and sampling, preparation of research protocol, collection of data, analyses of data, interpretation and manuscript writing. TY was involved in preparation of research protocol, in ICP-MS analyses, interpretation of results and manuscript writing. ZHM, AM, NN and BTMH were involved in preparation of research protocol, in analyses of data and manuscript writing. GH was involved in preparation of research protocol, in collection of clinical samples, in laboratory investigations and manuscript writing. ED and BA were involved in design of research, recruiting patients and controls, in clinical examination, data analyses and manuscript writing. YW was involved in preparation of research protocol, in collection of clinical samples, interpretation of results and writing of the manuscript. JM was involved in preparation of research protocol, interpretation of results and writing of the manuscript. FO was involved in design of the research, in consultation and guidance during data collection and analyses, and in writing of the manuscript.

A Kassu1,2, T Yabutani3, Z H Mahmud1, A Mohammad1, N Nguyen1, B T M Huong1, G Hailemariam4, E Diro5, B Ayele5, Y Wondmikun6, J Motonaka3 and F Ota1

  1. 1Department of Preventive Environment and Nutrition, Systems of Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Health Biosciences Research, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan
  2. 2Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
  3. 3Department of Chemical Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan
  4. 4Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
  5. 5Department of Internal Medicine, Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
  6. 6Department of Physiology, Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia

Correspondence: Professor F Ota, Department of Preventive Environment and Nutrition, Systems of Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Health Biosciences Research, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan. E-mail: ota@nutr.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp

Received 14 March 2005; Revised 22 August 2005; Accepted 3 September 2005; Published online 7 December 2005.

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Abstract

Objective:

 

To evaluate serum concentrations of trace elements in tuberculosis (TB) patients with or with out human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection before and after anti-TB chemotherapy.

Subjects:

 

A total of 155 TB patients, 74 of which were coinfected with HIV, and 31 healthy controls from Gondar, Ethiopia.

Methods:

 

Serum levels of copper, zinc, selenium and iron were determined using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer from all subjects at baseline and from 44 TB patients (22 with HIV coinfection) at the end of an intensive phase of anti-TB chemotherapy.

Results:

 

Compared with the control group, the concentrations of iron, zinc and selenium were significantly lower (P<0.05) while that of copper and copper/zinc ratio was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the serum of TB patients. TB patients with HIV coinfection had significantly lower serum zinc and selenium concentrations and significantly higher copper/zinc ratio compared to that in TB patients without HIV coinfection (P<0.05). The serum concentration of zinc had significantly increased at the end of intensive phase of anti-TB chemotherapy in patients without HIV coinfection (P<0.05). An increase in serum selenium level was observed in TB patients with or without HIV coinfection after therapy. On the contrary, serum copper concentration and copper/zinc ratio declined significantly after anti-TB chemotherapy irrespective of HIV serostatus (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

 

The results indicate that TB patients have altered profile of trace elements in their sera. This warrants the need for further investigations so that strategies for trace elements supplementation can be planned in addition to their potential as diagnostic parameters in monitoring responses to anti-TB chemotherapy.

Keywords:

tuberculosis, HIV, trace elements, ICP-MS, Gondar, Ethiopia

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