Prospective and retrospective studies of zinc concentrations in serum, blood clots, hair and urine in young patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Two main diabetic groups were investigated, viz, one consisting of 19 diabetic children with newly diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) (median age 10 years) where a prospective study was made, and one where a retrospective examination was performed of 73 patients (median age 14 years) with a mean duration of IDDM of 7 years; 83 healthy school children (median age 13 years) served as controls. In both groups of diabetic children more zinc was excreted in the urine than in the controls. At onset of IDDM, serum and blood clot zinc concentrations were reduced with a gradual increase towards normal within 1 month of insulin therapy. The zinc concentrations in hair did not differ from those of the controls. No correlation were found between zinc levels in serum, blood clots, urine and hair on one hand and the concentrations of albumin and glucose in serum and urine on the other.