BLOOD METALS LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH RETAINED MISSILE

• Main Author: Thamer A Hamdan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: university of basrah 2007-12-01
• Series: Basrah Journal of Surgery
• Online Access: https://bjsrg.uobasrah.edu.iq/article_56209_d3dedc4a8de729df51e39c1c3de45862.pdf

Our aim is to investigate the levels of blood lead, serum copper, zinc and iron in patients with ‎retained missile. Blood lead, serum copper, zinc and iron concentrations were measured in 54 ‎patients with retained missile and compared with 60 control apparently healthy individuals by ‎flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry technique. Blood lead levels were significantly ‎higher in the patients than in the controls, while no significant differences in serum copper, iron ‎and zinc concentrations were noticed. There were significant positive correlations between ‎blood lead levels and duration of exposure of the retained missile, as well as the size of ‎retained missile, but insignificant correlation between (copper, iron and zinc) with either the size ‎or the duration of exposure of retained missile was observed. These findings suggest that the ‎patients with retained missile had higher blood lead level and consequently undergoes lead ‎poisoning when compared to the control individuals. Also this data indicates an involvement of ‎size and duration of exposure of retained missile as important factors to lead poisoning.‎