Study of Serum Zinc and Copper Levels in Type 2 Diabetic Patients with and Without Nephropathy

Hayam Elmetwally, Resident of nephrology, El-Hamol General Hospital, EgyptFollow
Ahmed Almenshawy, Lecturer of clinical pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt.
Alaa Sabry, Professor of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt.
Rania Bahriz, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine (Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit), Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt.

Subject Area

Nephrology

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Background: Diabetic Nephropathy (DN) is one of the most important microvascular complications of Diabetes mellitus (DM). The purpose of this study was to look at how changes in serum zinc and copper levels relate to the incidence of diabetic nephropathy in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: The type of the study is an observational case-control study. This observational case control study was conducted over a period of one year and included 90 adult subjects. Subjects were categorized into three equal parties. Patients without nephropathy who had type 2 diabetes were included in Group I (n=30) . Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were in Group II (n=30) . and confirmed diabetic nephropathy. Group III (n=30) included healthy individuals as control group. Laboratory investigations included serum zinc, serum copper, urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) , serum creatinine, eGFR and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)

Results: There was a significant elevation of HbA1c in both diabetic patients with and without nephropathy. eGFR, Zinc, and Zn/Cu ratio were significantly reduced in diabetic patients without nephropathy compared to controls and in diabetic patients with nephropathy in contrast to diabetic patients without nephropathy and controls. However, When comparing diabetic patients without nephropathy to controls and diabetic patients with nephropathy to controls, UACR and copper levels were considerably higher in diabetic patients with nephropathy.

Creatinine and UACR were negatively correlated with Zinc and Zn/Cu ratio and positively correlated with copper. Zinc cut-off values for people with diabetes were less than 77. Third. The ideal cut-off values for copper in the differentiation of diabetes were above 124.9.

Conclusion: Poor glycemic control is closely associated with increased incidence of DN. Obesity and high BMI were associated with increased risk of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic kidney disease have been linked to altered blood zinc and copper levels; however, more research is needed to fully understand their possible significance.

Recommended Citation

Elmetwally, Hayam; Almenshawy, Ahmed; Sabry, Alaa; and Bahriz, Rania (2026) "Study of Serum Zinc and Copper Levels in Type 2 Diabetic Patients with and Without Nephropathy," Mansoura Medical Journal: Vol. 56 : Iss. 2 , Article 8.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.58775/2735-3990.1607