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Nutritional assessment and serum zinc and copper concentration in leukemic children
U R Sgarbieri1, M Fisberg, L G Tone
1Pediatric Section, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
Insights
Children with newly diagnosed leukemia show normal weight and height but have low zinc and high copper levels. Nutritional intake of these trace elements was insufficient.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Nutritional Biochemistry
- Hematology
Background:
- Malnutrition is a significant concern in pediatric cancer patients.
- Alterations in blood zinc and copper levels are observed in various malignant diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the protein-energy nutritional status.
- To determine serum zinc and copper levels in children newly diagnosed with leukemia.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study conducted at a university referral center.
- Included 23 children (ages 1-10) with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) or acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL).
- Compared with 31 healthy children, assessing anthropometrics, food intake, and serum zinc/copper.
Main Results:
- Leukemic children were generally eutrophic (normal growth).
- Dietary intake of zinc and copper was below recommended levels.
- Significantly lower serum zinc and higher serum copper levels were found in leukemic children versus controls.
Conclusions:
- Children with leukemia at diagnosis are not overtly malnourished.
- However, significant alterations in serum zinc and copper concentrations are present.
- These findings highlight subclinical nutritional imbalances in pediatric leukemia.
Context:
Malnutrition in childhood cancer is commonly a serious problem. Changes in blood zinc and copper have also been found in malignant diseases.
Objective:
To describe the protein-energy nutritional status and serum zinc and copper of children with newly diagnosed leukemia.
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Setting:
University referral center.
Participants:
23 children with newly diagnosed acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) or acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) between the ages of 1 and 10 years. The control subjects were 31 healthy school children of similar age from local schools.
Main Measures:
Anthropometric measurements of height/age and weight/height, food intake and serum levels of zinc and copper.
Results:
Almost the entire group of children were eutrophic. Zinc and copper intake were below the recommended values. Serum zinc levels were significantly lower and serum copper levels were significantly higher in the leukemic group when compared to normal children.
Conclusion:
At the time of diagnosis the children suffering from leukemia were not overtly malnourished but blood analysis showed alterations in concentrations of the trace elements zinc and copper.