Serum, zinc, copper and insulin in diabetes mellitus.

We studied serum zinc, copper, ceruloplasmin, insulin, basal glycemia and cholesterol in 49 diabetics on oral anti-diabetic agent and in 10 normal people. We found there is an elevation of serum zinc, copper and ceruloplasmin in the diabetic group that is statistically significant (p less than 0.001). There is a significant correlation between zinc and insulin (p less than 0.001), and between the quotient zinc/copper and cholesterol (p less than 0.001). The increase of plasma zinc can reflect a deficient storage or a chronic hypersecretion of insulin in hyperglucemic patients. We think that the quotient zinc/copper/might play a role in the pathogenesis of the arteriosclerosis in diabetes.