Influence of zinc deficiency on breaking strength of 3-week-old skin incisions in the rat.

The effect of dietary zinc deficiency on the breaking strength of abdominal skin incisions was studied in rats 21 days postoperatively. Zinc deficiency was induced with a low-zinc diet (1.4 mg zinc/kg diet) 14 days preoperatively. Thereafter serum zinc was reduced by 60%, but the zinc concentration in unwounded skin and liver remained similar to that of pair-fed controls given a zinc-adequate diet (33 mg zinc/kg). The wound breaking strength (maximal load until wound disruption) was significantly lower in the zinc-deficient group (75% that of control wounds). The zinc concentration in wound tissue had decreased in the zinc-deficient group, but the wound hydroxyproline concentration was similar in the two groups. The results indicate that zinc is an important trace element during the early remodeling of scar tissue.