The role of the clinical biochemist in detection of zinc-induced copper deficiency

A middle-aged woman with neutropenia and ataxia was found to have raised plasma zinc and profoundly low plasma copper concentrations. When found that she had been prescribed 135 mg zinc/day for seven years, a diagnosis of zinc-induced copper deficiency was made. After the zinc prescription was stopp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAnnals of clinical biochemistry Vol. 53; no. Pt 2; p. 298
Main Authors Duncan, A, Gallacher, G, Willox, L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 01.03.2016
Subjects
Copper - deficiency
Deficiency Diseases - chemically induced
Deficiency Diseases - diagnosis
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
Zinc - administration & dosage
toxicology
clinical studies
Neurological disorders
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Summary:A middle-aged woman with neutropenia and ataxia was found to have raised plasma zinc and profoundly low plasma copper concentrations. When found that she had been prescribed 135 mg zinc/day for seven years, a diagnosis of zinc-induced copper deficiency was made. After the zinc prescription was stopped, her copper and zinc concentrations and neutropenia normalized but she only had partial improvement in neurological status. The diagnosis of zinc-induced copper deficiency can be facilitated by the laboratory through measurement of plasma zinc concentration in patients with a low plasma copper concentration.
ISSN:1758-1001
DOI:10.1177/0004563215595429