Zinc and Sudeck's Atrophy

Zinc ion levels in bone tissue of patients with Sudeck's atrophy were determined by use of Perkin Elmor Model 103 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and Parker's method. Zinc in bone tissue was 76.6 ± 6.2 g/g in the patients with Sudeck's atrophy and 92.5 ± 3.8g/g in the control group. The difference between groups was found to be significant (p<0.05). On the basis of experimental and clinical evidences, we suggest that zinc depletion leads to the increase of the endogenous heparin and prostaglandins, which are probably cofactors of parathormone, and may have a role in the pathogenesis of regional osteoporosis in Sudeck's atrophy.