Serum Zinc, Selenium and Copper in Priest Subjects
Anchalee Mahaisiriyodom MT, MSc.* Duangkamol Viroonudomphol PhD.**
Affiliation : *Department of Pathology, Priest’s Hospital **Central Equipment Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University
Objective : To study the serum zinc, selenium, and copper of priest subject who attended the outpatient
Department, Priest Hospital Bangkok for a physical check-up, between March and October 2003
Material and Method: The serum zinc, selenium, and copper of 112 priest subjects, 33 healthy and 79 diseased,
compared with a control group of 90 males and 119 females Thai volunteers.
Results : Serum copper was statistically significantly higher in the priest subjects than in the controls. However,
serum selenium in the priest group was significantly lower than in the control group. Higher serum copper,
zinc, and selenium levels were show in the male priest group than in the male control group. Of the priests
subjects 50.9% (56/110) and 16.5% (18/109) had decreased zinc and selenium levels respectively. The controls
had decreased zinc level at 53.4% (39/73) in males, and 34.3% (36/105) in females, and decreased selenium
level at 18.6% (35/188). Serum copper concentrations were greater than 140 mg/dl in 44.5% of priest and
30% control subjects.
Conclusion : Statistically significant difference in serum selenium and copper found in the priest subject when
compared with the control subject.
Keywords : Serum zinc, Serum selenium, Serum copper, Priest
