Association between concentration of trace elements in serum and bronchial asthma among Japanese general population.
OBJECTIVE
A number of previous studies had revealed the association between trace elements in serum and bronchial asthma. However, only a few researches had focused on serum concentration of trace elements in a general population. In this study, an association between trace elements in serum and bronchial asthma was investigated in a general population.


METHODS
Subjects were 1025 volunteers (385 males and 640 females between ages 19 and 82 years old) who had participated in the Iwaki Health Promotion Project 2005. Bronchial asthma was diagnosed based on the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II according to the self-questionnaires on health conditions of subjects. The serum concentrations of certain trace elements (manganese, copper, zinc, selenium and iron) were measured and compared. Also, an association between serum trace elements level and neutrophil-related functions (oxidative burst activity, phagocytic activity, serum opsonic activity) were determined.


RESULTS
In males, no significant differences were seen in any serum trace elements concentrations. In females, serum zinc level was significantly higher in bronchial asthma group than in control. A positive correlation was seen between serum concentration of zinc and serum opsonic activity in both genders.


CONCLUSIONS
In female asthmatics, increase of oxidative stress was suggested to be caused by superoxide dismutase pathway (elimination system of reactive oxygen species) rather than serum opsonic activity (production system of reactive oxygen species from neutrophils) pathway, as the zinc concentration in bronchial asthma group was higher than that in control.
Urushidate
Satoshi
S
Department of Social Medicine, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan.
Matsuzaka
Masashi
M
Okubo
Noriyuki
N
Iwasaki
Hiroki
H
Hasebe
Tatsuya
T
Tsuya
Ryosuke
R
Iwane
Kaori
K
Inoue
Ryo
R
Yamai
Kiyonori
K
Danjo
Kazuma
K
Takahashi
Ippei
I
Umeda
Takashi
T
Ando
Shigeatsu
S
Itai
Kazuyoshi
K
Nakaji
Shigeyuki
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
D014131:Trace Elements; D015032:Zinc