Distribution of Serum Zinc Between Albumin and α2‐Macroglobulin in Patients with Decompensated Hepatic Cirrhosis

Abstract

Lower concentrations of total serum Zn (540 .+-. 111 .mu.g/l, mean .+-. the SE of the mean), and of albumin-bound serum Zn (295 .+-. 113 .mu.g/l) and a higher concentration of .alpha.2-macroglobulin-bound Zn (245 .+-. 69 .mu.g/l) were found in 25 patients with decompensated alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis, compared to 28 healthy subjects (835 .+-. 91; 679 .+-. 83; 156 .+-. 27 .mu.g/l, respectively). Levels of total and albumin-bound Zn were significantly and positively correlated with serum albumin levels. Higher levels of .alpha.2-macroglobulin-bound Zn were associated with higher levels of .alpha.2-macroglobulin in these patients (2.8 .+-. 0.8 g/l), compared to normals (2.3 .+-. 0.6). Not only do decompensated cirrhotics exhibit a lower serum Zn level but a greater proportion of this Zn is associated with the tightly bound, and presumably metabolically more inert, serum fraction. This situation exaggerates the Zn deficiency state of the severe cirrhotic.