Abstract
Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in the United States, this study examines the association between serum copper, zinc, and zinc/copper ratio with epilepsy. This study utilized data from American adults obtained from the NHANES cycles of 2013–2014 and 2015–2016. To assess the relationship between serum copper, zinc, and zinc/copper ratio with epilepsy, a weighted logistic regression model was employed. Age and gender were analyzed as subgroups. Based on a logistic regression analysis, serum zinc, and zinc/copper ratio were found to be negatively correlated with epilepsy. In the fully adjusted model, the OR (95% CI) for intermediate levels of serum zinc was 0.37(0.17–0.80), and for high levels of zinc/copper ratio, the OR (95% CI) was 0.18(0.08–0.43). Serum copper was positively correlated with epilepsy in individuals over 40 years old. For the 40–59 age group, the OR (95% CI) for intermediate and high levels of serum copper were 4.22(1.16–15.36) and 3.85(1.21–12.27), respectively. The study concludes that serum zinc and zinc/copper ratio are inversely related to epilepsy among American adults, while serum copper exhibits a positive association with epilepsy in individuals aged over 40, particularly within the 40–59 age group.