Trace Minerals and Antioxidant Enzyme Profile of Chronic Liver Disease Patients in Kano, Northwest, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Chronic liver disease is a major cause of death especially in low- and middle-income countries where increasing prevalence  has been noted recently. Free radicals-mediated tissue injury plays an important role in hepatic fibrogenesis while antioxidant vitamins  and a few trace minerals reduce tissue damage by scavenging free radicals.

Aim: To determine the blood levels of some selected  antioxidant enzymes and trace minerals in chronic liver disease patients in Kano.

Methods: Eighty-nine chronic liver disease patients and eighty-nine age and sex-matched controls were recruited for this study. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry and enzyme-linked  immunosorbent assay were used to measure trace minerals and antioxidant enzymes respectively. Data analysis was done using SPSS  version 21.0.

Results: Results showed that Glutathione Peroxidase (2.54±1.45 ng/mL vs 6.00±2.64 ng/mL), SOD (23.29±15.27 ng/mL vs  52.48±26.72 ng/mL), Zn (0.82±0.22 mg/L vs 1.07±0.26 mg/L) and Se (2.66±0.60 mg/L vs 3.32±0.55 mg/L) levels were significantly lower  (p<0.05) compared to their respective controls. Trace minerals (except Cu) and antioxidant enzyme levels decrease significantly with  increased severity of chronic liver disease.

Conclusion: The findings suggested that trace minerals and antioxidants are reduced in  chronic liver disease patients and reduction correlated significantly with advanced disease.