Studies of five microelement contents in human serum, hair, and fingernails correlated with aged hypertension and coronary heart disease

Using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), five microelements in human serum, hair, and fingernails of aged hypertension, coronary heart disease (diseased group) and aged health control (healthy group) were detected. Results of the t-test are as follows: The iron, zinc, and cadmium contents and Zn/Cu (mol/mol) ratio of the diseased group were significantly higher than that of the healthy group in serum (p<0.01, p<0.05, p<0.01, and p<0.05, respectively); the chromium contents in the serum, hair, and fingernails (p<0.05, p<0.01, and p<0.05, respectively); the iron and zinc contents in the hair and fingernails (p<0.01, p<0.001, p<0.05, and p<0.01 respectively) and Zn/Cu ratio in the hair (p<0.01) of the diseased orroup were significantly lower than that of the healthy group. Pathogenic factors of cardiovascular disease have three probabilities: (1) The iron contents of the diseased group were higher than that of the healthy group in serum and lower in hair and fingernails (i.e., abnormal iron metabolism); (2) the zinc contents and the Zn/Cu ratio of the diseased group were higher than that of the healthy group in the serum and the zinc contents in the hair and fingernails and the Zn/Cu ratio in the hair of the diseased group were significantly lower than that of the healthy group;(3) the chromium contents of the diseased group were significantly lower than that of the healthy group in the serum, hair, and. fingernails.