Journal of Contemporary Medicine (Sep 2020)
Evaluation of Zinc and Copper Levels in Superficial Fungal Infections
Abstract
Objective: Superficial fungal infections are one of the common skin diseases. Zinc and copper are essential elements for humans, and concentrations of these trace elements may vary in various inflammatory conditions. Our aim in this study is to measure serum zinc and copper levels in patients with superficial fungal infection and to evaluate its relationship with clinical types of the disease. Materials and Methods: This study included 81 patients diagnosed with superficial fungal infection (tinea capitis, faciei, pedis, unguim, corporis, and versicolor) who applied to the Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University. Serum zinc and copper levels were measured in all patients. Results: The mean age of the patients was 36.68 ± 17.12, and 54 (66.6%) of patients were male and 27 (33.3%) were female. There were tinea versicolor in 32 (39.5%) of the patients and other dermatophytosis infections (tinea capitis, faciei, pedis, unguium and corporis) in 49 (60.5%) of the patients. The mean serum zinc levels of the patients were determined close to the lower limit of the normal reference range with 11.41 ± 2.07 µmol / L, but zinc and copper levels were within the normal reference range (normal reference values of zinc and copper; 11-19.5 µmol / L, 80-155 µg / dL, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in zinc and copper levels between patients with tinea versicolor and patients with other dermatophyte infections (p = 0.348, p = 0.173, respectively). In addition, there was a negative correlation between serum zinc levels and age, serum copper levels showed a statistically significant negative relationship with male sex and smoking (r = -0.359, p = 0.001; r = -0.343, p = 0.002, r = -0.283 , p = 0.033, respectively). Discussion: In our study, the majority of patients with superficial fungal infections were men. It was determined that the frequency of dermatophyte infections increased as the mean age of the patients increased. Although serum zinc and copper levels measured in patients were within the normal reference range, especially zinc levels were close to the lower limit of reference values. In addition, it was observed that various factors such as age, gender and smoking affect zinc and copper levels. As a result of these data, we think that irregularities in serum zinc and copper levels may predispose to the development of fungal infections.
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