Zinc supplementation of chelation therapy in saturnism. Preliminary study.

The effect of zinc supplementation of chelation therapy in saturnism was studied in 20 patients hospitalized in the Clinic of Occupational Diseases of the Colentina Hospital. In 10 patients 400 mg/day zinc sulphate in two uptakes was administered concomitantly with the chelation therapy. The other 10 patients received only chelation therapy. The period necessary for the correction of the anemic syndrome was estimated comparatively by studying the evolution of the following parameters: hemoglobin, reticulocytes, red blood cells with basophilic granulations. Zinc supplementation of the chelation therapy had a favourable effect by reducing the necessary period for the correction of anemic syndrome.