Acute-onset Copper Deficiency Following Surgery in a Dialysis Patient: Diagnostic Challenges and Risk Factor Interaction

Abstract

Copper deficiency is a rare but critical cause of anemia and neurological impairment. We herein report a hemodialysis patient who developed acute-onset copper deficiency after spinal surgery with zinc supplementation, despite no gastrointestinal surgery. The anemia was unresponsive to oral copper but improved with intravenous administration. We analyzed clinical data from copper-deficient patients at our institution and in the literature and compared them with matched dialysis controls. Our findings indicate the cumulative impact of multiple risk factors. Clinicians should consider functional copper deficiency in dialysis patients with unexplained anemia after surgery.