Zinc metabolism after transcatheter arterial embolization for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Zinc metabolism after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was studied in 15 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with liver cirrhosis (LC).

METHODOLOGY

Serum zinc concentrations, 24-hr urinary excretion of zinc, blood ammonia (NH3) and plasma endotoxin (Et) levels were measured before and one, three and seven days after TAE.

RESULTS

Serum zinc levels one day after TAE were decreased (p<0.05) as compared to those before TAE and then returned to pretreatment values three days or more after TAE. Urinary excretion of zinc increased (p<0.01) one day after TAE, but then returned to the pretreatment value three days after TAE. Although blood NH3 and plasma Et levels increased (P<0.05) the day after TAE, these parameters recovered on the third day.

CONCLUSIONS

Decrease in the serum zinc concentration after TAE is considered to be due to changes in the zinc distribution in the body associated with endotoxemia, as well as increased urinary zinc excretion.