title: Plasma zinc level in hepatitis C patients with or without Beta thalassemia major; is there any difference?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Zinc deficiency has been reported frequently in hepatitis C patients in the literature. Furthermore, a decrease in zinc level has been shown in beta thalassemia major as well. Iranians consume a large amount of phytate in their regimens which can bind with zinc and decrease its gastrointestinal absorption.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to determine plasma zinc level in an Iranian sample with the diagnosis of hepatitis C with or without concomitant beta thalassemia major.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between April 2011 and April 2012, plasma zinc level was determined via atomic absorption method, in 130 hepatitis C patients with or without beta thalassemia major in a known referral center of hepatic diseases in Tehran, Iran.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean ± standard deviation (SD) of plasma zinc levels was determined as 0.78 ± 0.22 mg/L. Also zinc level was 0.76 ± 0.19 mg/L and 0.80 ± 0.24 mg/L in thalassemic and non thalassemic patients, respectively. T-test analysis showed that there is no significant difference between these two groups regarding plasma zinc level (P = 0.235).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that zinc level of studied patients is less than which is reported in normal Iranian population. Moreover, there is not a significant difference in plasma zinc levels between thalassemic and non thalassemic patients and it seems to be a common problem in both ones. Addition of zinc supplement may be recommended in both groups in order to optimize the nutritional support and probably improve the treatment response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abbasinazari
authors.forename: Bita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Behnava
authors.forename: Yunes
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Panahi
authors.forename: Azita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hajhossein Talasaz
authors.forename: Shima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salimi
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keshvari
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mehrnoush
authors.forename: Pegah
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karim Elizee
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gholami Fesharaki
authors.forename: Mansour
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asgharinia
authors.forename: Seyed Moayed
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alavian
keywords: Beta-Thalassemia; Hepatitis C; Iran; Zinc