[Liver diseases and essential trace elements].

The significance of the biochemical and nutritional roles of trace elements is widely recognized, since metals are found as constituent components of many metalloproteins and metalloenzymes. Some trace elements such as copper act as cofactors against hepatic fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, particularly in the biosynthesis of collagen. As the disease progress from chronic hepatitis to liver cirrhosis, serum calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc concentrations decrease, while the copper concentration increases. In the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, serum concentrations of trace elements are similar to those of liver cirrhosis. In the patients with acute hepatitis, serum calcium, magnesium and zinc concentrations decrease, while phosphorus, iron and copper concentrations decrease. These trace element abnormalities may reflect such pathological conditions as liver dysfunction, cholestasis, hepatic fibrosis or liver regeneration.