Effects of short-term application of low-dose growth hormone on trace element metabolism and blood glucose in surgical patients

Table 3 Comparison between apparent absorption (AA) and apparent utilization (AU) of zincum, cuprum and ferrum (mean ± SD)

Test	Zincum		Cuprum		Ferrum
	Placebo (n = 24)	rhGH (n = 24)	Placebo (n =24)	rhGH (n = 24)	Placebo (n = 24)	rhGH (n = 24)
Accumulative intake (mg)	65.79 ± 6.38	71.92 ± 6.96	10.01 ± 0.85	10.82 ± 0.92	65.08 ± 8.50	73.25 ± 9.29
Accumulative intake of EN (mg)	46.29 ± 6.38	52.42 ± 6.96	6.17 ± 0.85	6.98 ± 0.92	61.72 ± 8.50	69.89 ± 9.29
Urinary excretion (mg)	36.74 ± 5.76	32.51 ± 5.55	0.37 ± 0.08	0.28 ± 0.05	18.65 ± 5.99	12.10 ± 3.92
Feces excretion (mg)	19.14 ± 6.49	18.07 ± 7.50	4.21 ± 1.00	1.74 ± 0.95a	22.38 ± 9.82	19.65 ± 3.71
Apparent absorption (%)	59.09 ± 10.56	66.25 ± 11.07	31.80 ± 13.78	75.21 ± 13.69a	64.94 ± 11.72	71.87 ± 4.00
Apparent utilization (%)	15.21 ± 5.43	30.02 ± 6.23a	54.35 ± 8.87	81.36 ± 8.57a	37.31 ± 6.85	56.34 ± 6.99a

^aP < 0.05 vs placebo group.