Serum levels of trace metals in children with atopic eczema.

The hypothesis that atopic eczema is associated with a non-specific decrease in the serum concentration of trace metals was examined by measurement of the levels of zinc, copper and iron in 134 children with atopic eczema and 112 controls. The results failed to confirm the hypothesis. There was no significant difference between patients and controls for the concentrations of serum zinc, iron, iron-binding capacity and albumin. Patients with eczema had a significantly higher copper concentration (median 21.0 mumol/l) than controls (median 17.0 mumol/l), and a significantly lower concentration of ferritin (median 11.9 ng/ml for patients and 16.5 ng/ml for controls). There was a highly significant correlation between the surface area of skin affected by eczema and the concentrations of albumin and orosomucoid.