Leprosy Mailing List – November 28th, 2012
Ref.: Zinc supplementation (?)
From: G Warren, Sydney, Australia
Dear Dr Noto,
There are so many factors involved in ENL. It would be difficult to do realistic trials on Zinc unless all the other possible complicating factors were eliminated. Would that be that possible? I am all in favour of trying to improve the general health of all patients, treating their other diseases and parasites as these all play a part in the management of ENL.
In the 1980s, trials in Africa showed that patients with chronic ulcers had improved rates of healing, speed and quality, when they were given one Zinc-sulphate tablet per day. I am not sure if any paper was written or if we had any statistical significant results! We had a definite impression that adding Zinc helped recovery rates. Soon every patient admitted for surgery or ulcer care received Zinc as well as the usual vitamin and mineral cocktail.
In the 1980s in Thailand most of the patients had multiple vitamin and mineral deficiencies (vitamin B1 deficiency was very common in the general population) and the routine use of a good multivitamin and mineral that included at least 10mg of B 1, vitamin C, calcium and magnesium did improve the overall health of our patients, be they leprosy or other diseases.
Yours sincerely,
Grace Warren
Previous Adviser for The Leprosy Mission in Asia (1975-1995).
LML - S Deepak, B Naafs, S Noto and P Schreuder
LML Archives: http://www.aifo.it/english/resources/online/lml-archives/index.htm
Contact:
Dr Salvatore Noto
Padiglione Dermatologia Sociale
Az. Ospedaliera Universitaria S. Martino
Largo R. Benzi, 10
16132 Genoa, Italy
Tel: (+39) 010 555 27 83 - Fax: (+39) 010 555 66 41 - E-mail: salvatore.noto@hsanmartino.it
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