Deposition of Heavy Metals in Patients with Deep Venous Thrombosis and Healthy Individuals: A Case–Control Study with Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopic Analysis of Nail Edges

TL;DR

This study used laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy to analyze nail samples and found differences in heavy metal deposition between patients with deep vein thrombosis and healthy individuals.

Contribution

The study introduces LIBS as a novel, non-invasive method for analyzing heavy metal accumulation in nails related to DVT.

Findings

DVT patients had higher levels of iron, calcium, and silicon compared to healthy individuals.

Lower magnesium levels in DVT patients showed diagnostic potential with 76–90% specificity and 69–82% sensitivity.

Abstract

Background: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases and is especially prevalent in areas with environmental pollution. Bioaccumulation of toxic heavy metals may lead to deterioration of homeostasis with cellular change, endothelial dysfunction, DNA impairment and cellular signaling. The reason for this is usually the accumulation of thrombogenic toxins in the body as a result of long-term exposure or a lack of regulatory gene expression. In this study, we aimed to measure the minerals that potentially accumulate in the nail. The measurement method was laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), which is a form of atomic emission spectroscopy. It uses a highly energetic laser source to form a plasma of excited atoms emitting light of characteristic wavelengths. It provides accurate quantification and reveals the relationship between tissue accumulation of toxic heavy metals and DVT formation. Methods: Between January 2020 and December 2021, 100 patients diagnosed with lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis were screened in a single tertiary healthcare center. Among them, 50 patients who met the eligibility criteria and consented to participate were included in the study. An additional 50 age-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled as controls. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. Nail samples were obtained from each participant, and elemental emission intensities were quantitatively analyzed using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Results: No difference in clinical characteristics was detected between the groups. While iron, calcium and silicon were found to be high in DVT patients, magnesium was found to be low. Regarding the magnesium emission, ROC analysis showed 76–90% specificity and 69–82% sensitivity, respectively. Conclusions: LIBS is a useful method because it is easy to use and can be used with a small sample. According to the results of our study, information about the pathogenesis of DVT was obtained through nail analysis. Therefore, we believe that LIBS analysis is a method that may be useful in determining the causes and predisposing factors for DVT.

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