Association of serum zinc levels with liver function and survival in patients awaiting liver transplantation

Abstract

Serum zinc levels are associated with reduced survival in end-stage liver disease patients. Whether or not zinc supplementation might be beneficial for patients on a liver transplantation list requires further study.

Zinc deficiency predicts overt hepatic encephalopathy and mortality in liver cirrhosis patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy

“…Another important finding from the present study is that zinc deficiency was associated with an increased risk of mortality in the patients with MHE. These results are consistent with those of a previous cohort study that showed that serum zinc levels can predict mortality in patients with end‐stage liver disease who are listed for liver transplantation 37 . Furthermore, zinc supplementation has also been reported to be possibly effective in suppressing the cumulative incidence rate (death, HCC development, and appearance of liver failure) in patients with chronic liver disease, especially when the zinc concentration is >70 µg/dl 38 .…”

“…These results are consistent with those of a previous cohort study that showed that serum zinc levels can predict mortality in patients with end-stage liver disease who are listed for liver transplantation. 37 Furthermore, zinc supplementation has also been reported to be possibly effective in suppressing the cumulative incidence rate (death, HCC development, and appearance of liver failure) in patients with chronic liver disease, especially when the zinc concentration is >70 µg/dl. 38 Although the present findings also suggest that zinc supplementation might be beneficial for the prognosis of LC patients, a recent meta-analysis from the United Kingdom failed to confirm such beneficial effect of zinc supplementation on mortality in LC patients.…”

Zinc deficiency as an independent prognostic factor for patients with early hepatocellular carcinoma due to hepatitis virus

“…In other reports, Sengupta noted that liver cirrhosis patients with zinc deficiency had a lower 3year survival rate as compared with those without such a deficiency (51% vs. 74%, P = 0.04; n = 163), whereas Friedrich et al found a significant association of death or liver transplantation in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis who also had zinc deficiency (P < 0.001), resulting in a 28.3-fold increase in risk for either of those results (95% CI 3.2-244.8). 38 Zinc depletion has also been suggested to be a cause of fibrosis 39,40 and Stepien et al reported that zinc might have a role in preventing HCC. 41 Although Child-Pugh score (≥6) and ALBI (≥2: mALBI ≥2a) were not prognostic factors for survival in the present results, Katayama et al previously showed that serum albumin levels are strongly associated with serum zinc levels (r = 0.587, P < 0.0001), as well as total bilirubin (r = -0.222, P = 0.0053), ammonia levels (r = -0.246, P = 0.0028), and prothrombin (r = -0.255, P = 0.0029) 18 and the present results also showed serum zinc level had a correlation with ALBI score.…”

Realationship of Serum Level and Effect of Low Dose Zinc Supplementation on Severity of Liver Cell Failure in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis.

“…Interpretations:-Chronic liver disease is classified into Child-Pugh class A to C, employing the added score from above. [1]…”