Assessment of serum magnesium, copper, and zinc levels in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients

Objective: multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease with prominent neurological and behavioral and psychiatric manifestations and unknown etiology which is demarcated with inflammation and destruction of white matter of brain and spinal cord and its replacement with gliotic tissue in young aged people and particularly females. The role of trace elements in multiple sclerosis is set forth in several studies and we are going to evaluate it in these patients in Kashan-Iran. Methods: Serum magnesium, zinc, and copper levels from 35 MS patients (28 female and 7 male) were measured by an ELIZA method and results were compared with data from healthy matched controls, and data analyzed using T test. Results: Mean age of patients in this study was 32.3 +/- 6.4 years and 28 (80%) were in age range of 20 to 40. The incidence of MS was found to be 11.6 in 100,000 populations in Kashan district which is a moderate incidence. Muscle weakness (80%), visual disturbances (57.1%), and paresthesia (34.2%) were the most common clinical presentations. Mean serum level of magnesium was 1.87 +/- 0.37, copper 110.7 +/- 19.5, and zinc 85.4 +/- 13.5 in patients (control group), and 2.22 +/- 0.24, 133.7 +/- 13.4, and 110 +/- 8.3 respectively in case group. This difference is statistically significant (P<0.001). The most common clinical pattern of the disease was recurrent MS in 54.2% of cases. Conclusion: We found that serum level of magnesium, copper, and zinc is significantly decreased in patients inflicted with MS. This is shown in some other studies and may result in use of supplemental use of trace elements for MS patients to either decrease symptoms or complications.