The purpose of this study was to examine two relationships; one between the serum zinc concentration and the intake of zinc, and the other between the serum zinc concentration and the hematological consistent associated with the serum zinc concentration in elderly patients in a health facility.
  The estimations of the hematological consistent, physical index, and dietary survey were made based on an examination carried out on 15 disabled elderly patients (male＝8, female＝7, mean age 82±10 years) .
  The obtained results from this study are summarized as follows:
1) The subjects showed low levels of serum zinc, although the intake of zinc was close to the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) level.
2) The ratio of the subjects of less than 66 μg/dl of the reference value of the serum zinc was 60% for men and 72% for female in the oral feeding, and also 100% of men and 83% of female in the enteral feeding.
3) The three significant correlations was found between the serum zinc and the hematocrit, the serum zinc and total protein, and the serum zinc and albumin values.
  As a high percentage of the subjects showed low levels of serum zinc, it is suggested that the nutritional zinc status for the subjects was not satisfactory.