In 67 patients with chronic liver disease, plasma levels of zinc, ammonia, and Fischer ratio were measured. In liver cirrhosis, plasma levels of zinc and Fischer ratio were significantly lower, and serum levels of ammonia were significantly higher than those in chronic hepatitis. Eleven patients with liver cirrhosis received an oral supplementation of zinc. Plasma levels of zinc significantly increased, and plasma levels of ammonia significantly reduced by zinc, but Fischer ratio did not significantly changed. These findings indicated that zinc deficiency in liver cirrhosis might modify amino acid-nitrogen metabolism, and that an oral supplementation of zinc could improve these disorder.
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