Plasma iron, copper and zinc determination in portal and hepatic veins of 11 patients with hepatic cirrhosis

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the regulation effects of liver on iron, copper and zinc. METHODS: Eleven patients （10 male, 1 female） with post hepatitis cirrhosis were admitted to this study. In the morning of operation day of Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Stent Shunt （TIPS）, whole blood was sampled from cubital vein. In the process of TIPS, samples of whole blood from hepatic vein and portal vein were taken orderly. Plasma were separated from the whole blood for measurement. Iron, copper and zinc levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. RESULTS: The concentrations of plasma iron were significantly increased in hepatic vein （P ＜0.05）,while the concentrations of plasma copper were significantly reduced in protal vein （P ＜0.05）. Insignificant different levels of copper were found between hepatic vein and cubital vein. No variation of zinc was found in cubital, hepatic, and portal veins （P ＞0.05）。CONCLUSIONS:The liver may actively mobilize iron in order to meet the physiological needs, and play a key role in maintaining the balance of copper in body. But it does not affect the regulation of blood zinc.