Zinc supplementation in alcoholic cirrhosis. A double-blind clinical trial.

摘要: A double-blind clinical trial with zinc sulfate, 0.2 g three times daily, and a placebo was performed in 30 patients biopsy-proven alcoholic liver cirrhosis. The disease stable phase, none of the showed evidence decompensated function. Parameters function, taste acuity, dark adaptation vitamin metabolism were followed for six weeks. In zinc-treated group 16 patients, serum rose from normal mean value 13.3 to 17.4 mumol/l, whereas level remained practically unaltered within range, 1.89 at entry 1.83 mumol/l end study. Plasma prothrombin alkaline phosphatase levels increased bilirubin carotene decreased significantly. did not change, but function significantly improved during treatment. results indicate that supplementation causes alleviation certain abnormalities cirrhotics, which deserves further attention.