Tissue zinc at autopsy--relation to medication with diuretics.

Diuretic treatment has been shown to cause a substantial increase in the urinary output of zinc. However, the serum zinc levels remain normal or even raised. In the present study, tissue zinc was studied in liver, kidney and skeletal muscle tissue from 147 consecutive autopsies. In 90 of the cases heart muscle and aortic tissue were also studied. The zinc values were correlated to previous treatment with diuretics. A lower liver zinc level was observed in the group of patients who had been on diuretic treatment for more than 6 months compared to the group without treatment, the difference being highly significant. The skeletal muscle zinc was also low in the patients who had been on diuretic treatment. With regard to the metabolic functions of zinc, the tissue depletion of this element after diuretic treatment may be of clinical importance.