Serum trace elements and osteoarthritis: A meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization study

Shi H, Wang H, Yu M, et al. · Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology

Serum zinc did NOT differ between OA patients and controls (SMD -0.02, 95% CI -0.077 to 0.038, P=0.503), and MR found no causal signal for zinc — the trace element that did stand out was copper, which was higher in OA and causally implicated.

Population

Observational studies comparing serum trace elements in OA patients vs healthy controls, plus two-sample Mendelian randomization

Intervention

Serum zinc (and copper, manganese, cadmium, selenium) levels; no supplementation

Comparator

Healthy controls

Limitations

Observational inputs with heterogeneity; serum zinc is a poor marker of tissue zinc status; the copper finding is an association/MR signal, not a trial.