A possible case of chronic zinc intoxicationincreased zinc concentration in gastric mucosa

  1. Emilio González-Reimers 1
  2. Loreto Martín-Navarro 1
  3. Elisa Espelosín Ortega 1
  4. Daniel Martínez-Martínez 1
  5. Luis Galindo-Martín 2
  6. Lucía Romero-Acevedo 1
  7. Candelaria Martín-González 1
  1. 1 Hospital Universitario de Canarias (ESP)
  2. 2 Universidad de La Laguna (ESP)
Journal:
Majorensis: Revista Electrónica de Ciencia y Tecnología

ISSN: 1697-5529

Year of publication: 2017

Issue: 13

Pages: 21-23

Type: Article

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Abstract

A possible case of chronic zinc intoxication: increased zinc concentration in gastric mucosa The aim of the present study is to provide data relative to zinc gastric mucosal content of a 77-year-old woman attended in our unit because of a severe gastritis with intestinal metaplasia in possible relation with chronic ingestion of at least 56-96 mg supplemental zinc/daily, in addition to dietary intake. The clinical picture, with a two-month history of nausea, occasional vomiting and severe abdominal cramp, was compatible with chronic zinc intoxication, an uncommon condition that poses difficulty in diagnosis, due to the lack of universally validated criteria. We measured, by atomic absorption spectrophotometry with a VARIAN SPECTRA A 220Z, GTA-110 graphite camera, zinc in a sample of gastric mucosa of this patient, yielding a value of 52.5 mg/kg (in dried sample), and in two control samples, yielding values of 5.12 and 9.95 mg/kg, i.e., 5 to 10-fold lower. By contrast serum zinc and copper levels were normal (Zn 69.0 µg/dL, Cu 77.0 µg/dL). The data relative to zinc content in gastric mucosa in this case of possible chronic intoxication adds to the very scarce data reported in the scientific literature regarding gastric mucosal zinc content

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