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Serum zinc values in children with congenital heart disease
1Department of Child Health, University of Benin/ University of Benin Teaching Hospital, PMB 1111, Benin City, Nigeria.
Insights
Serum zinc levels did not differ between children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and controls. However, children with CHD and pneumonia showed significantly lower zinc levels compared to those without pneumonia.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Nutritional Biochemistry
Background:
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) can lead to increased pulmonary blood flow, causing recurrent bronchopneumonia and heart failure.
- Serum zinc levels are known to be reduced in children experiencing pneumonia and in patients using diuretics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare serum zinc levels in children diagnosed with congenital heart disease (CHD) against a control group of healthy children.
- To assess the potential impact of CHD on serum zinc status.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 41 children with CHD and 41 healthy controls in Nigeria.
- Serum zinc levels were quantified using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer method.
- Echocardiography confirmed CHD diagnoses; biodata and anthropometric measurements were also collected.
Main Results:
- No significant difference was observed in mean serum zinc levels between children with CHD (101.3 ± 21.6 µg/dl) and controls (106.5 ± 18.3 µg/dl).
- Children with CHD and pneumonia exhibited significantly lower serum zinc levels (89.5 ± 15.0 µg/dl) compared to those without pneumonia (103.9 ± 22.2 µg/dl).
- Diuretic use in subjects with CHD did not significantly affect serum zinc levels.
Conclusions:
- Serum zinc levels are comparable between children with and without congenital heart disease.
- Pneumonia is associated with significantly reduced serum zinc levels in children with CHD.
- Zinc status in children with CHD may be more influenced by concurrent infections like pneumonia than by the heart condition itself.
Background:
Some children with congenital heart diseases (CHD) may have increased pulmonary blood flow that causes recurrent bronchopneumonia and congestive heart failure. Serum zinc is reduced in children with pneumonia and patients on diuretics.
Objective:
To evaluate the serum zinc level of children with CHD and their controls without CHD.
Method:
The subjects were 41 children with CHD confirmed on echocardiography recruited from a paediatric cardiology clinic in a tertiary centre in Nigeria. The controls were 41 children without CHD. Biodata and anthropometric measurements were taken. The serum zinc was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer method.
Result:
The mean difference in the serum zinc of the subjects 101.3 ± 21.6 µg/dl and controls 106.5 ± 18.3 µg/dl, was not significant, p = 0.351. The subjects with pneumonia had a lower mean serum zinc value 89.5 ± 15.0 µg/dl compared to those without pneumonia 103.9 ± 22.2 µg/dl, p = 0.006. The mean serum zinc values of the subjects on diuretic was not statistically different from those not on diuretic, p = 0.599.
Conclusion:
The serum zinc levels of the subjects and controls were not significantly different. Children with CHD and pneumonia had significantly lower zinc level compared to those without pneumonia.
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