Retrospective study on the therapeutic efficacy of zinc acetate hydrate administration to patients with hypozincemia-induced dysgeusia

Table 2 Clinical characteristics of patients receiving ZAH at 24 weeks

Parameter	Improved^a (n = 26)	Non-improved^b (n = 16)	P value
Sex (M / F)	10 / 16	5 / 11	0.75^c
Age (years)	66.8 ± 11.2	75.0 ± 11.8	< 0.05^d
Zn (µg / dL)^e	106.9 ± 9.0	70.3 ± 7.8	0.109^d
Cu (µg / dL)^f	104.7 ± 37.1	101.3 ± 25.5	0.87^d
Cu / Zn ratio	1.02 ± 0.25	1.32 ± 0.51	0.161^d
Cu / Zn ratio (< 1.1 / ≧1.1)	23 / 3	9 / 7	< 0.05^d
White blood cell (/mm³)	5610 ± 1278	6206 ± 1894	0.54^d
Red blood cell (× 10⁴/mm³)	489 ± 97	501 ± 87	0.82^d
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	13.2 ± 3.9	13.5 ± 3.3	0.58^d
AST (IU/L)	26.0 ± 9.7	23.4 ± 6.6	0.35^d
ALT (IU/L)	27.3 ± 10.7	24.1 ± 10.4	0.34^d
Albumin (g/dL)	4.3 ± 0.6	4.2 ± 0.7	0.72^d
Creatinine (mg/dL)	0.73 ± 0.1	0.74 ± 0.1	0.65^d
BUN (mg/dL)	12.6 ± 4.6	12.5 ± 2.5	0.97^d
Triglyceride (mg/dL)	173.9 ± 115.3	204.9 ± 165.6	0.52^d

Values are expressed as means ± standard deviation
Zn zinc, Cu copper, ZAH zinc acetate hydrate
^a Patients whose total taste scores at 12 or 24 weeks after the administration of the Zn preparation were lower than those before its administration, were defined as improved group
^b Patients whose total taste scores after the administration of Zn preparation were higher or unchanged compared to that before its administration were defined as non-improved group
^c Test used for analysis: X² test
^d Test used for analysis: two-sample t test
^e The reference value is 80–130 µg/dL
^f The reference value is 68–128 µg/dL

ISSN: 1472-6831