Serum Zinc in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose: Stroke is one of the main causes of mortality and disability worldwide. Identifying new risk factors for stroke is crucial for its prevention. The purpose of this study was to determine whether serum zinc levels and ischemic stroke were related. Methods: In this case-control study conducted in Shar Hospital in Slemani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, between July 2023 and January 2024, 83 patients who had experienced an acute ischemic stroke and 83 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. Utilizing colorimetric measurement, the serum zinc levels were determined. We compared the serum zinc levels of both groups and sought relevant relationships between them and the other characteristics of the participants. Results: We found that 79 out of 83 cases (95.2%) with acute ischemic stroke had low zinc levels (<70 µg/dL). The mean serum zinc levels of the cases and controls were 49.87 ± 13.43 µg/dL and 52.61 ± 19.86 µg/dL, respectively; their difference was not statistically significant (p=0.33). The severity of strokes showed a significant inverse relationship with the levels of zinc in the serum (r= -0.462, p<0.001); more severe strokes were associated with lower serum zinc levels. Additionally, there was a significant inverse relationship between the age of the stroke patients and their zinc levels (r= -0.258, p=0.02). Conclusion: Our study did not support an association between serum zinc levels and the occurrence of acute ischemic stroke. However, it demonstrated that zinc levels are negatively correlated with age and stroke severity in patients with acute ischemic stroke.