Serum zinc, selenium and copper in priest subjects.

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 119females 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.