Determination of trace elements in blood serum of patients with Behçet disease by total reflection x-ray fluorescence analysis.

The distribution of trace elements Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, and Rb was determined in sera from patients with the complete type of Behçet disease in the active stage and from healthy controls. Total reflection x-ray fluorescence was used for quantitative analysis; in general, atomic absorption spectrometry was used only for control of the Se values. Zn, Se, and Rb concentrations were significantly (P < 0.0001) lower for patients than for control subjects. No significant difference was determined in the Fe content. However, there was a significant increase in Cu in the patients so that the ratios Cu/Zn, Cu/Se, and Cu/Rb were significantly higher for the patients than for the control subjects (P < 0.0001).