Recovery and maintenance of copper levels in geriatric patients on enteral feeding for a prolonged period.

Latent copper deficiency develops after 3 mo in patients receiving enteral feeding solutions with low copper levels. We examined whether a copper-rich enteral solution restores and maintains the level of copper in serum for a prolonged period. The study group consisted of 13 patients (eight males and five females). Commercial preparations, F2alpha and Lifelon-PZ, for enteral administration were used. F2alpha and Lifelon-PZ contain 1.6 and 0.13 mg/L, respectively, of copper. Serum copper levels were monitored in patients before and after administration of F2alpha, a copper-rich enteral solution, at the neurological ward of Nagoya Daini Red Cross Hospital. Four of the 13 patients received Liflon-PZ, a copper-poor enteral solution, before this trial. Blood samples were taken every month. The daily average copper dosage with F2alpha was 1.8 +/- 0.4 mg/d (1.0-2.4 mg/d). The copper level in the four patients who received Liflon-PZ was 10.5 +/- 5.5 micromol/L before this trial. The level rose to 18.9 +/- 3.6)mol/L 1 mo after the change to the copper-rich, F2alpha. The average serum copper level in the other patients before the start of enteral feeding was 15.3 +/- 5.0 micromol/L. The proper copper level was maintained with F2alpha in the long term. A copper-rich enteral preparation could easily restore and maintain serum copper levels for a prolonged period. A dose of 1.8 +/- 0.4 mg copper/d (1.0-2.4 mg/d) was sufficient for our patients.