Evaluation of Serum Zinc, Copper, Magnesium and Iron Levels in Hepatitis B Patients In University of Calabar Teaching Hospital in Calabar, Nigeria

Trace elements are crucial for maintaining body functions because they are constituents of, or interact with enzymes and hormones that regulate the metabolism of much larger amounts of substrates, however, trace elements may have a direct hepatic toxicity or may be decreased as a consequence of impaired liver function. This study aims to evaluate the serum zinc, copper, magnesium, and iron levels in hepatitis patients in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. A total of 76 subjects aged 18-55 years participated in the study consisting of 36 hepatitis B patients and 40 apparently healthy age matched controls. The hepatitis B patients were subdivided into 19 asymptomatic hepatitis patients and 17 hepatitis patients on treatment (tenofovir and entecavir). Zinc, magnesium, copper and iron were measured using atomic absorption spectrometry, while bilirubin, Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatases (ALP) were determined using verified colorimetric methods. Sociodemographic information was obtained using questionnaires. Data was analyzed using Student’s t-test, ANOVA, LSD post hoc and Pearson’s correlation at p < 0.05. The serum concentrations of zinc, magnesium, copper and iron were not significantly different (p>0.05) from those of the control group. Aspartate aminotransferase, ALT, total and conjugated bilirubin were significantly higher (p<0.05) in hepatitis patients when compared with the control population. There was no significant variation (P>0.05) in the levels of these trace elements between the asymptomatic, treated and control groups but a post hoc analysis revealed a significantly lower iron levels (p<0.05) in the asymptomatic hepatitis patients than in the control group. There was a significant negative correlation (r = -0.430, p=0.009) between Mg and ALP, a significant positive correlation (r = 0.332, p=0.048) between Zn and ALP, and a significant positive correlation (r = 0.378, p=0.023) between Zn and AST in the hepatitis patients. The findings of this study suggest that while there were no significant differences in trace element levels between hepatitis B patients and controls, there were notable associations between trace elements and liver function markers. This might imply complex interactions between trace elements and liver health. The consistent trace element levels across groups suggest relative stability while the lower iron levels in asymptomatic patients highlight the subtle effects of hepatitis B on iron metabolism.