Blood zinc levels in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans, thromboangiitis obliterans and Takayasu's disease.

Serum zinc concentration was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 30 normal males, 17 normal females, 20 patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans, 26 patients with thromboangiitis obliterans, 40 patients with Takayasu's disease. The mean serum zinc concentration was 93.9 +/- S.E.4.0 mug/100 ml in the normal male controls, 75.1 +/- 3.3 mug/100 ml in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans without ulcers (P less than 0.05) and 79.2 +/- 6.5 mug/100 ml in patients with thromboangiitis obliterans without ulcers. Serum zinc concentration showed to be more decreased in patients with these diseases who had ulcers. The mean serum zinc concentration was 77.9 +/- 4.0 mug/100 ml in the normal female controls, 71.8 +/- 5.1 mug/100 ml in patients with Takayasu's disease who had never been treated with steroids and 59.1 +/- 2.7 mug/100 ml in patients with this disease who had been treated with this drug (P less than 0.01). The zinc level was significantly lower in CRP positive patients with Takayasu's disease than in CRP negative patients (P less than 0.05).