Magnesium, zinc and copper in plasma and blood cellular components in children with IDDM

Abstract The levels of magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in the plasma, erythrocytes (RBC) and polymorphonuclear (PMN) and lymphocyte (L), leukocytes (WBC) of 45 diabetic children were compared to those of 12 normal children and were related to the diabetic control via HbA 1 and fasting blood sugar (FBS) assessments. Mineral levels were determined via Zeeman-effect atomic absorption spectrophotometry following separation of plasma, RBC, and WBC fractions (PMN vs. M). ANOVA (four-way, blood components, by two-way, diabetic vs. normal children) was significant for Mg only ( F = 4.60, P μ mol/l and 519 ± 33 vs. 866 ± 86 μ g/10 10 cells, respectively). RBC Zn was significantly lower in diabetic youngsters by t -test (0.48 ± 0.012 vs. 0.57 ± 0.046 per μ mol/g Hgb, t = 2.79, P 1 was predicted only by PMN-WBC Mg ( F = 8.78, P