Comparison of Serum Zn, Cu, Mg, Mn, Cr, and Fe Levels in Iraqi COVID-19 Patients and their Association with Infection Severity

An ideal level of vital trace elements (TE) is crucial for the immune system to protect organs from infections. TE, in particular, zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), and iron (Fe), affect an individual’s sensitivity to the exposure and progression of viral diseases, such as COVID-19. Therefore, this study evaluated the level of these TE during hospitalization in an isolation center and investigated their association with the severity of COVID-19. This study included 118 individuals, 63 male and 55 female aged between 20 and 60 years. Seventy-eight COVID-19 patients and 40 healthy individuals were included in this study. Infected individuals were classified into moderate and severe based on the severity of their symptoms. The levels of Zn, Mg, Mn, Cr, and Fe were significantly decreased in moderate and severe groups compared to the controls (p < 0.0001), respectively. Conversely, levels of Cu were found significantly increasing compared to individuals in the control’s groups (p < 0.0001). Among the total number of infected cases, the levels of Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, and Fe did not significantly increase with increasing severity (from moderate to severe). The findings indicated that TE levels were not altered in a severity-dependent manner, showing that TE affect the individual’s vulnerability to COVID-19, not its progression.