Serum levels of trace elements in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C under interferon therapy

The relationships between chronic liver diseases and trace heavy metal contents in blood are debatable and have not been understood clearly. The present study was designed to determine the interaction of IFN α-2b with some trace elements as (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) in patients with chronic hepatitis C, and study the effect of this interaction on the response to therapy. This study was performed on 42 patients having positive HCV-Ab & HCV-RNA by PCR and treated with interferon and ribavirin. Besides, 20 healthy subjects served as control. ALT and trace elements were determined before and after treatment with IFN-α 2b. The results showed that the levels of Zinc and Manganese in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients’ were decreased compared to healthy group and this decrement became more after treatment. While the levels of Iron and Copper increased compared to healthy group and these increment became more after treatment. Serum ALT levels in the patients after treatment was statistically significant decrease (p < 0.05) when compared to its level before treatment.Conclusion: Our findings imply that the levels of trace elements (manganese, iron, copper, zinc, and Cu: Zn ratios) might serve as biochemical parameters with a predictive value for the responsiveness of patients to interferon/ribavirin therapy as there were changes in the levels of some trace elements (Zn and Mn) between responder and non-responder patients. So trace element abnormalities may reflect the condition of liver dysfunction.