title: [Is there a correlation between severity of trauma and serum trace element levels?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Trace elements zinc and copper are effective in wound and fracture healing. In this prospective study, correlations between mangled extremity severity score (MESS) and mangled extremity syndrome index (MESI) and serum zinc and copper levels were investigated in trauma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen trauma patients (11 females, 6 males; mean age 41.6 years; range 11 to 73 years) were evaluated with respect to MESS and MESI scores. On the seventh day of trauma, serum samples were obtained to determine zinc and copper levels by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of zinc and copper showed significant negative correlations with both MESS (r=-0.65 and r=-0.76, respectively) and MESI (r=-0.83 and r=-0.77, respectively) scores (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The severity of trauma is associated with significant decreases in serum levels of trace elements. Thus, trace element supplementation may be an important aspect of treatment in trauma patients.
authors.affiliation: Gazi Universitesi Tip Fakültesi Ortopedi ve Travmatoloji Anabilim Dali. ayk@gazi.edu.tr
authors.forename: Aykin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simşek
authors.forename: Alpaslan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Senköylü
authors.forename: Erdal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cila
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uğurlu
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bayar
authors.forename: Akif M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Oztürk
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Işikli
authors.forename: Yasin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Muşdal
authors.forename: Haluk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yetkin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D005121:Extremities / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000097:blood*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc