title: Chronic zinc deficiency syndrome in a beer drinker with a Billroth II resection.
abstract: A 51-year-old woman, addicted to beer for several years, developed chronic zinc deficiency which caused severe mental impairment, a poor general condition with edema and diarrhea, widespread eczema craquelé and loss of hair. Laboratory tests showed a significantly lowered serum zinc concentration, microcytic anemia, an inversed serum albumin/gamma-globulin ratio and a decreased serum thyroxine. Two years earlier, her external pancreatic function had been found severely impaired. Following oral therapy with zinc sulfate 0.2 g X 3R, daily, the patient's mental and physical condition totally changed. In two weeks serum zinc was within the normal range, while hemoglobin concentration, serum proteins, serum thyroxine became normal in 4-8 weeks.
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001515:Beer / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000502:physiology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D013577:Syndrome; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D015032:Zinc