Copper, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Nickel, and Zinc
Levels in Biological Samples of Diabetes Mellitus Patients
Tasneem Gul Kazi
&
Hassan Imran Afridi
&
Naveed Kazi
&
Mohammad Khan Jamali
&
Mohammad Bilal Arain
&
Nussarat Jalbani
&
Ghulam Abbas Kandhro
Received: 24 August 2007 / Accepted: 2 November 2007 /
Published online: 11 January 2008
#
Humana Press Inc. 2007
Abstract There is accumulating evidence that the metabolism of several trace elements is
altered in diabetes mellitus and that these nutrients might have specific roles in the
pathogenesis and progress of this disease. The aim of present study was to compare the
level of essential trace elements, chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn),
nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) in biological samples (whole blood, urine, and scalp hair) of
patients who have diabetes mellitus type 2 (n=257), with those of nondiabetic control
subjects (n=166), age ranged (45–75) of both genders. The element concentrations were
measured by means of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer after microwave-induced
acid digestion. The validity and accuracy was checked by conventional wet-acid-digestion
method and using certified reference materials. The overall recoveries of all elements were
found in the range of (97.60–99.49%) of certified values. The results of this study showed
that the mean values of Zn, Mn, and Cr were significantly reduced in blood and scalp-hair
samples of diabetic patients as compared to control subjects of both genders (p<0.001). The
urinary levels of these elements were found to be higher in the diabetic patients than in the
age-matched healthy controls. In contrast, high mean values of Cu and Fe were detected in
scalp hair and blood from patients versus the nondiabetic subjects, but the differences found
in blood samples was not significant (p<0.05). These results are consistent with those
obtained in other studies, confirming that deficiency and efficiency of some essential trace
metals may play a role in the development of diabetes mellitus.
Keywords Biological samples
.
Diabetes mellitus
.
Essential elements
.
Age groups
.
Genders
Biol Trace Elem Res (2008) 122:1–18
DOI 10.1007/s12011-007-8062-y
T. G. Kazi (*)
:
H. I. Afridi
:
M. K. Jamali
:
M. B. Arain
:
N. Jalbani
:
G. A. Kandhro
National Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, Sindh University, Jamshoro, Pakistan
e-mail: tgkazi@yahoo.com
N. Kazi
Liaqut University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan