| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland; and Department of Nuclear Medicine, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
Address reprint requests to: S.K. Dutta, MD, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Department of Medicine, Hoffberger Professional Center, Suite 51, 2435 West Belvedere Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215-5271
Objective: Metabolism of zinc was studied by administering radioactive zinc (Zn65), and by performing metabolic balance studies in eight patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and eighteen control subjects.
Methods: Retention of radioactive zinc was measured by total body counter, and its urinary and fecal excretion by gamma scintillation counter. Metabolic balance studies were carried out by measuring dietary zinc intake as well as fecal and urinary excretion of zinc by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in this group of patients.
Results: These studies revealed a 50% reduction in intestinal absorption of Zn65 in patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency as compared to alcoholic and non-alcoholic control subjects. In addition, there was a 2 to 4 fold increase (p<0.05) in urinary excretion of zinc in subjects with pancreatic disease. In pancreatic insufficiency, reduced zinc absorption and increased urinary zinc excretion were balanced by lower (p<0.05) endogenous excretion of zinc as evidenced by reduced excretion of Zn65 in feces during the second 4-day period. The mean biological half-life of Zn65 tended to be lower in patients with pancreatic insufficiency as compared to alcoholic control subjects, however the difference did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusion: These observations indicate marked alterations in zinc metabolism in patients with advanced chronic pancreatic disease and provide greater insight into development of zinc deficiency in this group of patients.
Key words: zinc metabolism, exocrine pancreas, zinc excretion, zinc absorption, alcoholis
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  D. K. Lee, J. Geiser, J. Dufner-Beattie, and G. K. Andrews Pancreatic Metallothionein-I May Play a Role in Zinc Homeostasis during Maternal Dietary Zinc Deficiency in Mice J. Nutr., January 1, 2003; 133(1): 45 - 50. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Y. Patterson and C. Veillon Stable Isotopes of Minerals as Metabolic Tracers in Human Nutrition Research Experimental Biology and Medicine, April 1, 2001; 226(4): 271 - 282. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. S. Prasad Zinc Deficiency in Humans: A Neglected Problem J. Am. Coll. Nutr., December 1, 1998; 17(6): 542 - 543. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
