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Reference Intervals of and Relationships among Essential Trace Elements in Whole Blood of Children Aged 0-14 years

Rongrong Zhai1, Meichun Zhang1, Jie Liu1

  • 1Clinical Laboratory Center, Lu'an People's Hospital, The Lu'an Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Lu'an, China.

Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis
|August 26, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Reference intervals for essential trace elements calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), and zinc (Zn) were established in children. Complex correlations were found among these elements, highlighting the need for further research into their health impacts.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Trace Element Metabolism
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Essential trace elements are critical for children's health.
  • Establishing reference intervals is crucial for assessing nutritional status.
  • Understanding inter-element relationships aids in interpreting biomarker data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish gender- and age-specific reference intervals for calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), and zinc (Zn) in children.
  • To investigate the correlations among these essential trace elements in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • Blood samples were collected from 3210 children aged 0-14 years in Lu'an, China.
  • Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to determine element concentrations.
  • Nonparametric methods were employed to establish reference intervals.

Main Results:

  • Gender differences were not significant for most elements, except for iron (Fe).
  • Age showed significant positive correlations with Fe and Zn, and negative correlations with Ca and Cu.
  • Strongest correlations were observed between Ca-Mg, Fe-Mg, and Fe-Zn.
  • Multivariable regression indicated significant associations between Zn-Fe and Mg-Fe.

Conclusions:

  • Gender- and age-based reference intervals for Ca, Fe, Cu, Mg, and Zn in children were successfully established.
  • The relationships among these trace elements are complex and warrant further investigation.
  • Additional research is needed to elucidate the health implications of these inter-element correlations in children.
Abstract

Keywords:
bloodchildrenreference intervalrelationshiptrace element

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