Urinary zinc in hepatic cirrhosis.

Plasma Zinc and renal clearance of Zinc have been studied in patients with various chronic hepatic disorders. Plasma Zinc levels were reduced in patients with all forms of chronic hepatic disease and were of no value in differentiating these conditions. The renal clearance of Zinc was found to be significantly higher in patients with chronic hepatic disease of alcoholic aetiology (1.25 ml./min.) compared with those of non-alcoholic aetiology (0.52 ml./min.) and normal subjects (0.33 ml./min.). The renal clearance of Zinc may be of value in identifying chronic hepatic disease in which alcohol is aetiologically involved.