Trace elements and blepharitis.
Yülek F, Cakmak HB, Simşek S, Serkant U, Kösebalaban S.
SB Atatürk Eğitim ve Araştirma Hastanesi, Ankara, Turkey. fatmayulek@yahoo.com.tr
INTRODUCTION: Investigating the relationship between the serum levels of zinc and copper with blepharitis.
METHODS: Twenty seven patients with blepharitis and 24 control group patients were evaluated for Schirmer, fluorescein break up time (FBUT) scores and serum levels of zinc and copper. Symptoms and clinical examination scores of blepharitis patients were also assessed.
RESULTS: The serum level of zinc (65.78+/-15.51 in patients with blepharitis and 65.71+/-10.43 in patients without blepharitis, normal values in the laboratory: 70-127 microg/dl) and copper (67.17+/-22.24 in patients with blepharitis and 69.35+/-14.44 in patients without blepharitis, normal values in the laboratory: 70-150 microg/dl) were not different between the two groups. The symptom and clinical examination scores of blephraritis patients were not correlated with the serum levels of either zinc or copper.
DiSCUSSiON: The zinc and copper levels in serum do not seem to be related to blepharitis. Their tear levels and sensory status of cornea should also be evaluated to better evaluate a possible relation.
1 comment:
i'm looking for a full text of this abstract.
while i'm here, wondering if anyone else noticed that the controls are 'patients' - question: what sort of patients?
also, wondering why they just sort of casually reported that the entire set of participants was zinc-deficient, without suggesting future studies involving treatment with zinc. there's no reason why zinc deficiency MUST manifest as blepharitis in every single patient...
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