ZINC METABOLISM IN HEPATIC DYSFUNCTION

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Abstract
Marked abnormalities of Zn metabolism are demonstrated in patients suffering from postalcoholic cirrhosis. Zn concentrations in serum and in the liver tissue of such persons are markedly lowered. Simultaneously, these patients excrete abnormally large quantities of Zn in their urine; a terminal patient, however, excreted abnormally low quantities of Zn. The administration of ZnSO4 in physiologic quantities tends to restore normal excretory patterns. The bromsulfalein retention in 5 patients with postalcoholic cirrhosis tended toward normal in the course of these investigations on Zn metabolism. No attempts at specific therapy of the disease were undertaken. A conditioned Zn deficiency is conjectured to be consistent with present data and the known historical, pathophysiologic and pathobiochemical knowledge of this disease.