Serum zinc levels in corticosteroid-treated asthmatic patients.

Serum zinc levels have been measured in twenty-four asthmatic patients, of whom sixteen were on long term corticosteroid therapy. They were carefully screened to exclude any concomitant disease. The nonsteroid-treated asthmatics had normal serum zinc levels which ranged from 89 to 138 jig/ml. The corticosteroid-treated patients had a mean serum zinc level of 64 ± 9 p.g/100 ml; this was significantly lower than normal (P =< 0001).