Determination of Magnesium, Zinc, and Reduced Glutathione Levels in Serum of Asthmatic Patients

Abstract

Asthma  is a disease  characterized by hyper reactivity  of the trachea and   bronchi   to  reversible   either   spontaneously  or  as  a  result   of treatment.

In this study serum magnesium,  Zinc, and reduced glutathione  levels

were  meas ured  in  order  to  determine   their  levels  in  the  asthmatic patients and comparing  these levels with healthy controls.

Fifty-  four  asthmatic   patients  were  enrolled  in  the  study  and  had their pulmonary  function test, and the levels of Mg,Zn, and GSH.

Serum   magnesium   and  serum   zinc  were  determined   by  using Atomic  Absorption  Spectrophotometer . While serum glutathione was determined  by spectrophotometric analysis.

The asthmatic  patients were divided into four groups according  to the  interpretation of  the  pulmonary  function  test  : severe  expiratory flow limitation, moderate  expiratory  flow limitation  , slight expiratory flow limitation and normal lung values .

In  this  study,  it  was  found  that  serum  magnesium  levels  in  severe cases  of  asthmatic  patients  were significantly lower  than  the healthy control  population  (0.92 ± 0.17mmol  I L vs.l.O1  Â± 0.19 mmol/L; (p<

0.05 )] while  the other cases did not show  any significant  differences compared  with the healthy control .

As  for  serum   zinc  levels,  it  was  found   that  the  slight  cases  of asthmatic  patients  were  significantly  higher  than  the  healthy  control [   19.48  Â±  1.93   fl mol/L  vs.   17.01  Â±  2.94   fl  moi/L;  (P<0.05   )]. However,   the  other  cases  did  not  show  any  significant   differences compared  with healthy control.

While   serum   glutathione   levels   in  severe   and   slight   cases   of

asthmatic  patients were lower than the healthy control. [2.08 ± 0.51

mmol/L vs. 2.42 ± 0.21 mmol/L; (P< 0.001), and 1.95 ±0.36 mmol/ L

1. 2.42± 0.21 mmol/L; (P< O.Ol)],respectively.

It was  found  that there  is  a  correlation  between  the  severity  of asthma   as   measured   by  pulmonary   function   test  and  levels  of magnesium  and glutathione  levels, the more severe one showed low levels of magnesium and glutathione .