Acta Pharm. 65 (2015) 321-329
Original research paper
Contribution
to diagnostics/prognostics of tuberculosis in children. II. Indicative value of
metal ions and biochemical parameters in serum
SVJETLANA LUTEROTTI, TONČICAVUKMAN KORDIĆ, IVKA ZORIČIĆ
LETOJA and SLAVICA DODIG
svjetlana.luterotti@pharma.hr; svjetlana.luterotti@gmail.com
1 University of Zagreb, Faculty of Pharmacy, HR-10000
Zagreb, Croatia
2 Agency for Medicinal
Products and Medical Devices, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
3 Children´s HospitalSrebrnjak, HR-10000 Zagreb,
Croatia
Accepted June 15, 2015
Newly introduced methods of assaying simultaneously copper and zinc and zinc alone in serum by flame atomic-absorption spectrometry are simple and economical, especially in saving the consumption of serum material. Along with biochemical parameters, they have been successfully applied to diagnostics/prognostics of tuberculosis (TBC) in children, through analyses of sera from pediatric patients with lung tuberculosis or suspected tuberculosis, enabling the follow-up of therapeutic efficiency. The prognostic strength of Cu and Cu/Zn ratio together with C-reactive protein (CRP), complement components C3 and C4, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (SE) have been documented.
Keywords: copper, zinc, Cu/Zn ratio, biochemical parameters,
children's serum, lung tuberculosis