Effect of desferrioxamine on urinary copper and zinc excretion in ?-thalassemia major patients

Abstract

Twenty-one β-thalassemia major patients were included to study urinary zinc and copper excretion before and after high dose desferrioxamine (DF). The mean basal zinc excretion (1193.72 ± 1079.64 μg/24 hr) was higher than the mean zinc excretion observed in controls (427.6 ± 74.37 μg/24 hr) (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between urinary copper levels of patients (185.48 ± 175.45 μg/dl) and the control group (150.0 ± 37 μg/dl) (P > 0.05). No significant difference was observed between the mean basal zinc levels and zinc levels after treatment (1751.06 ± 1462.72 μg/24 hr) (P > 0.05). Although the mean copper excretion was decreased following DF treatment (164.16 ± 117.8 μg/dl), the difference was not significant (P > 0.1). There was a significant interaction for urinary copper and zinc excretion (r = 0.413; P < 0.05). J. Trace Elem. Exp. Med. 13:195–198, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.