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Zinc in hair and urine of paediatric patients
Insights
Zinc levels in children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Nutritional Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Zinc is an essential trace element crucial for numerous physiological processes.
- Altered zinc status is observed in various pediatric conditions, but diagnostic utility of hair and urine zinc is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate zinc concentrations in hair and urine in children with specific health conditions.
- To evaluate the diagnostic reliability of hair and urine zinc measurements for individual patient assessment.
Main Methods:
- Hair and urine samples were collected from children with short stature, upper respiratory infections, non-infectious diarrhea, acute lymphatic leukemia undergoing chemotherapy, and healthy controls.
- Zinc concentrations were measured using established laboratory techniques.
- Statistical analysis was performed to compare zinc levels across groups and with controls.
Main Results:
- Hair zinc levels were significantly lower in children with upper respiratory infections (p < 0.0001) and higher in those with short stature (p < 0.01).
- Urinary zinc levels were elevated in children during initial chemotherapy for leukemia (p < 0.001) and with diarrhea (p < 0.02).
- Significant overlap in zinc levels (34-88%) was observed between patient groups and controls.
Conclusions:
- Zinc deficiency is associated with common pediatric conditions like upper respiratory tract infections.
- Hair and urine zinc measurements lack reliability for individual diagnostic statements due to high variability and overlap.
- Further research may be needed to explore alternative biomarkers or diagnostic approaches for zinc status in children.
Abstract:
Zinc concentrations in hair and urine were measured in groups of children varying in one condition - short stature, or after prolonged upper respiratory infection, or during non-infectious diarrhea, or while on chemotherapy for acute lymphatic leukaemia and in healthy controls. As compared with controls, hair zinc was significantly low after respiratory infection (p less than 0.0001) and high in short stature (p less than 0.01). Urinary zinc was increased during initial chemotherapy (p less than 0.001) and diarrhea (p less than 0.02). It is shown that zinc deficiency occurs in one of the common symptoms in paediatric medicine, namely upper respiratory tract infection. The high overlap (34-88%) proves hair and urine zinc to be of no use for reliable individual diagnostic statements.