Unexpected Hypozincaemia in a Patient with Discharging Empyema Resistant to Replacement Therapy

    March 2013 in “ BMJ Case Reports ”
    Lynn Rowbottom, Thomas Mole, Norman B. Roberts
    TLDR Zinc levels remained low despite treatment, likely due to absorption issues.
    A 45-year-old man with severe chronic malnutrition and a massive discharging empyema was found to be deficient in zinc and selenium. Despite a high-calorie diet supplemented with iron, zinc, and selenium, and antibiotic therapy, only selenium levels normalized after 4 weeks, while zinc levels remained low. The patient experienced symptoms such as erythematous skin lesions, hair loss, and reduced wound healing, likely due to zinc deficiency. The study suggested that competition for intestinal absorption of nutrients and the use of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) may have contributed to the persistent low zinc levels.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 1000+ results

      community Doing everything still losing hair

      in Minoxidil  17 upvotes 7 months ago
      The user is experiencing hair loss despite using 1 mg finasteride, 2.5 mg minoxidil, a multivitamin, and a topical finasteride-minoxidil solution. Suggestions include increasing minoxidil dosage, addressing vitamin deficiencies, especially Vitamin D, and considering lifestyle changes like diet and exercise.

      community I feel like people here shrug off nutritional issues too quickly. Particularly for Retrograde Alopecia.

      in Chat  11 upvotes 3 years ago
      The user believes Retrograde Alopecia may be linked to vitamin imbalances, specifically from taking too much Vitamin E, A, Zinc, and Selenium, and suggests it could be a middle ground between Androgenic Alopecia and Telogen Effluvium. Treatments for hair loss mentioned include Androgen inhibitors and improving lifestyle factors like nutrition and sleep, with topical melatonin also recommended for Retrograde Alopecia.

      community 6 months on biotin + minoxidil

      in Progress Pictures  357 upvotes 1 year ago
      A user shared a 6-month progress picture showing improvement in hair loss using biotin and minoxidil. They also mentioned dealing with stress, diet issues, and seborrheic dermatitis.

      community I'm tired, boss. I fought. Now I seem to be losing.

      in Update  22 upvotes 2 years ago
      The user is struggling with hair loss despite using finasteride, minoxidil, and ketoconazole, and addressing vitamin D and ferritin deficiencies. They experienced a temporary improvement but are now shedding hair again and feeling stressed.

    Similar Research

    5 / 1000+ results