A comparison of zinc metabolism, inflammation, and disease severity in critically ill infected and noninfected adults early after intensive care unit admission.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Zinc deficiency is a cause of immune dysfunction and infection. Previous human studies have shown that the activation of the acute phase response alters zinc metabolism. Whether the alteration in zinc metabolism is predictive of disease severity in the setting of critical illness is unclear.

Objective

We sought to determine whether differences occur in zinc metabolism at the onset of critical illness between infected (septic) and noninfected subjects.

Design

We conducted this prospective study in an adult medical intensive care unit (MICU) at a tertiary care hospital. Subjects were enrolled within 24 h of intensive care unit admission. Subjects who did not meet sepsis criteria were considered for the critically ill control (CIC) arm. After patient consent,

SUBMITTER: Besecker BY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3095505 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature