Lower Serum Zinc Levels in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Compared to Healthy Controls

Abstract

Objective: Diminished blood levels of zinc have been reported to be associated with T-cell-mediated autoimmunity, which has been implicated in multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to compare the distribution of serum zinc status in MS patients with that in healthy controls (HCs) and to investigate a potential correlation with clinical state, through analysis of serum zinc concentration in MS patients suffering from different disease subtypes. Methods: Serum zinc concentrations of 133 patients with relapsing (RMS) and 18 patients with the progressive form of MS (PMS), according to the McDonald criteria of 2010, were measured. Clinical status was quantified using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Zinc concentrations were also determined in the sera of 50 HCs, matched for age and sex at a group level. Results: MS patients showed significantly lower zinc concentrations (mean (SD)) than HCs (12.5 (2.1) µmol/L vs. 14.6 (2.3) µmol/L, p < 0.001). In contrast, we did not find any difference between RMS (12.4 (2.0) µmol/L) and PMS (13.0 (3.0) µmol/L) cases (p = 0.8). Patients receiving disease-modifying treatment showed lower mean (SD) serum zinc levels than untreated cases (12.3 (1.9) µmol/L vs. 13.5 (3.2) µmol/L, p < 0.03). Zinc levels were not related to disease duration, EDSS, annual relapse rate, or the median number of relapses. Conclusions: The data suggest that a diagnosis of MS is related to lower serum zinc concentrations than in HCs, and concentrations were lower still under disease-modifying therapy. However, zinc levels did not predict disease subtypes or disability status.

New Insights on the Nutrition Status and Antioxidant Capacity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

“…The zinc mean consumption value was 29.5% lower in the MS group compared with controls, below the DRI recommendation. These findings are consistent with lower serum zinc levels in MS patients previously published [ 20 , 22 ]. Of relevance, in the CNS, zinc plays roles in modifying neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity.…”

“…This is of particular interest as metal homeostasis plays a critical role in regulation of the CNS and is essential for normal functioning. Moreover, metal deficiencies have been found in serum of MS patients, specifically iron, magnesium, lithium, and zinc [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ], and metal imbalances have been linked to demyelination, perhaps involving oxidative stress [ 21 ]. The zinc mean consumption value was 29.5% lower in the MS group compared with controls, below the DRI recommendation.…”

The emerging role of serum zinc in motor disability and radiological findings in patients with multiple sclerosis

“…Similar to our findings, Pawlitzki and colleagues found that MS patients had a significantly lower concentrations of zinc compared to healthy controls but there was no significant relationship between serum zinc and either disease duration, median number of relapses, annual relapse rate, or EDSS [15].…”

A preliminary study of the concentration of metallic elements in the blood of patients with multiple sclerosis as measured by ICP-MS

“…Our results for Cu, Fe and Zn agree with those observed by Alimonti et al 9, who showed a decreased concentration in the blood of MS patients. Pawlitzki et al 18 also found lower serum zinc levels in patients with multiple sclerosis. However, Janghorbani et al 13 and Visconti et al 19 found an increase in the levels of these metallic elements in the serum of MS subjects.…”