Macroelement and microelement composition of mediastinal lymph nodes of patients with sarcoidosis

This study was aimed at measuring concentrations and investigation of relationships between macro- and microelements in mediastinal lymph nodes of patients with sarcoidosis. Methods. The study involved 28 patients (50% were males; median age, 42.5 (23; 53) years) with confirmed diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Autopsy samples from 13 individuals died from occasional causes (41.2% were males; median age, 43 (38.7; 61.3) years) were used for comparison. The groups did not differ in age and gender. Neutron activation analysis was used to investigate chemical elements in mediastinal lymph node tissue samples. Results. Concentrations of Ca, Cr, Fe, Co, Zn, Rb, Sb, Cs, Ba, Eu, Lu, Yb, Hf, Th, and U in the lymph node tissue of patients with sarcoidosis were increased, and concentration of zinc was decreased compared to control samples. Concentrations of Sm, Au, Sr, Nd, As, Br, Ag, Tb, Sc, Ta, Na, and La did not differ between the groups. Direct relationships were found in element groups Fe-Cr-Sb-Ca, Fe-U-Th, Co-U-Th, U-Cr, Th-Br, Sc-Zn, Eu-La, and Ce-Lu.