SERUM CONCENTRATION OF CHROMIUM IN HEAD INJURY PATIENTS

Background– Certain trace elements such as zinc and copper have been studied in head injury patients. In this study, we decided to determine whether serum chromium concentrations were affected by the severity of a head injury. Methods– The study was conducted on 30 male patients aged from 10 to 30 years. Patients were divided into three groups based on the Glascow Coma Scale; 1-mild, 2-moderate and 3- severe head injury. Serum samples for chromium were obtained during the first four hours after head injury and analyzed by neutron activation analysis technique. Two independent sample t test was used to compare the mean serum concentration of chromium in different groups. Results– Mean ± SD of serum concentration of chromium was 1.41 ± 0.2 mg/L in the first, 1.58 ± 0.23 mg/L in the second and 1.42 ± 0.23 mg/L in the third group of patients. There was no significant difference among the three groups with respect to the serum concentration of chromium. Conclusion– To define the time-related changes of chromium and severity of the head injury, the total intake of chromium and other relevant factors should be considered in future studies.