From the Guidelines
Copper deficiency (hypocupremia) symptoms include cardiac arrhythmias, myeloneuropathy, delayed wound healing, microcytic anemia, neutropenia, osteoporosis, and hair de-pigmentation.
Acute Symptoms
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Myeloneuropathy
- Delayed wound healing 1 These acute symptoms are rare and require some weeks to develop, making them not readily recognized 1.
Chronic Symptoms
- Microcytic anemia
- Neutropenia
- Osteoporosis
- Hair de-pigmentation 1 Chronic symptoms are observed in patients on prolonged parenteral nutrition (PN) with inadequate copper, highlighting the importance of adequate copper supplementation in such cases 1. Copper is essential for melanin synthesis, which explains the hair de-pigmentation symptom 1.
From the Research
Symptoms of Copper Deficiency
The symptoms of copper deficiency, also known as hypocupremia, can be diverse and affect various systems in the body. Some of the common symptoms include:
- Hematological manifestations such as anemia (microcytic, normocytic, or macrocytic) and neutropenia 2, 3, 4
- Neurological manifestations such as myelopathy and peripheral neuropathy simulating subacute combined degeneration 2, 4
- Thrombocytopenia, although relatively rare 2
- Myeloneuropathy presenting with a spastic gait and prominent sensory ataxia 4
- Bone marrow findings that can mimic myelodysplasia, resulting in occasional inappropriate referral for bone marrow transplantation 2, 5
Risk Factors and Diagnosis
Copper deficiency can be caused by various factors, including:
- Foregut surgery 2, 6
- Dietary deficiency 2
- Enteropathies with malabsorption 2
- Prolonged intravenous nutrition (total parenteral nutrition) 2
- Excessive zinc ingestion 4
- Malabsorption 4 Diagnosis of copper deficiency is crucial, as early treatment with copper replacement can lead to prompt resolution of hematological manifestations and prevention of neurological deterioration 2, 4.