@article{article_72595, title={Magnesium, Zinc and Copper Contents in Hair and Their Serum Concentrations in Patients with Epilepsy}, journal={EASTERN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE}, volume={7}, pages={31–35}, year={2013}, author={Ulvi, H. and Yiğiter, R. and Yoldaş, T. and Dolu, Y. and Var, A. and Müngen, B.}, abstract={Objective: Although trace elements are found a little <br />amount in body they have obvious structural functional <br />importance and have an important role on a variety of <br />biological processes. Since the abnormal metabolism <br />of metal ions plays an important role in health and <br />disease conditions, studies about them have been <br />attracting great interest. The aim of our study was to <br />evaluate magnesium, zinc and copper contents in hair <br />and serum concentrations in patients with epilepsy. <br />Method: Twenty-seven patients (12 male, 15 female; <br />mean age 42,73 ± 16,23 years) with epilepsy and 29 <br />age-matched healthy subjects (12 male, 17 female; <br />mean age 49,76 ± 13,11 years) were enrolled in this <br />study. We assessed Mg, Zn and Cu contents in hair <br />and their serum  levels  in all subjects with an atomic <br />absorption spectrophotometer. Results were <br />calculated in ppm for hair and in µg/ml for serum. For <br />comparison of means, Student’s t test was used. <br />Results: The mean values of trace element <br />concentrations of hair in patients   were significantly <br />reduced compared with the controls (mean magnesium <br />concentration in patients, 111,33 ± 37,33 vs. control, <br />133.57 ± 22.91 [p<0.01], mean zinc concentration in <br />patients, 121,40 ± 45,40 vs. control, 176.96 ± 43.10 <br />[p<0.001], mean copper concentration in patients, 42,74 <br />± 20,36 vs. control, 60.22 ± 22.32 [p<0.05]). Although <br />the serum levels of magnesium and zinc are lower in <br />patients with epilepsy than the levels in controls, these <br />differences were not found to be significant  (mean <br />magnesium level in patients, 19,4 ± 2,7 vs. control, 23,3 <br />± 12,3 [p>0.05], mean zinc level in patients, 1,54 ± 0,79 <br />vs. control, 1,86 ± 0,83 [p>0.05]). Furthermore, lower <br />magnesium levels in patients with epilepsy were <br />closely related to pharmacoresistant epilepsy. <br />Conclusion:  These data indicate that concentrations <br />of Mg, Zn and Cu are altered trace element <br />concentrations become change in patients with <br />epilepsy during interictal periods and these changes <br />may be important, especially low magnesium levels, <br />in anticonvulsant drugs designed for the clinical <br />problem of pharmacoresistant epilepsy. <br /> Key words: Epilepsy, hair, serum, trace element}, number={2}, publisher={Van Yuzuncu Yıl University}