title: Comparison of the serum concentration of zinc in patients with bronchiectasis and control group.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bronchiectasis is an abnormal and permanent dilatation of bronchi. Infection plays a major role in causing and perpetuating bronchiectasis, as reducing the microbial load and attendant mediators are cornerstone of therapy. Zinc, as an integral micronutrient is involved in the immune reactions including response to infection. In several previous studies, mild zinc deficiency has been described in many infectious diseases such as abscess, cellulitis, chronic diarrhea, pneumonia, tuberculosis (TB), etc.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine serum zinc level in a series of patients suffering from bronchiectasis and to compare it with healthy control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  This analytical cross-sectional study was performed on thirty four patients with proven bronchiectasis and twenty nine healthy control subjects referred to Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Tehran, Iran, between March 2005 and March 2007. Serum concentration of the zinc was measured for all of the subjects and other information was completed according to their medical records. Both groups (case and control) were frequently matched regarding their age groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients included 11 (32.4%) males and 23 (67.6%) females with the average age of 55.03 (SD = 17.06) yr. The mean level of serum zinc in the case and control groups were 94.06 (SD = 20/96) mcg/dl and 103.7 (SD = 11.96) mcg/dl, respectively. Independent T-test analysis showed that serum zinc concentration in the case group of bronchiectasis patients was significantly lower than control group (P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study show that serum zinc level in bronchiectasis patients was lower than the control group and the difference was statistically significant. It seems that the use of zinc supplement can reduce progression of the infectious disease regarding its role in improving the immune system reactions and some unknown mechanisms. Therefore, prophylactic and therapeutic use of zinc must be evaluated in further trials.
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Javadmoosavi
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Shahab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahabi Shahmiri
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Elyas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mostafapour
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Purfakharan
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mehran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zamanzadeh
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Fereshtehnejad
authors.affiliation: Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hanieh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Raji
keywords: Bronchiectasis; Immune System; Zinc