Zinc depletion in alcoholic liver diseases.

Liver and serum zinc concentrations were investigated in 24 patients with alcoholic liver diseases, 22 patients with non-alcoholic liver diseases, and in 36 control subjects. The liver samples were obtained by percutaneous liver biopsies, and the ratio of hepatocytes to fibrous connective tissue was estimated. The liver zinc concentration was expressed in relation to the amount of hepatocytes, and the serum zinc concentration was calculated in relation to total, albumin-, and alpha 2-macroglobulin-bound serum zinc. The results show that the liver zinc concentration was decreased in patients with alcoholic liver diseases (P < 0.01), in contrast to in patients with non-alcoholic liver diseases. Albumin-bound serum zinc was decreased in both groups (P < 0.001). The results indicate that alcoholic liver damage is associated with zinc deficiency.