Study of some trace elements in children with nephrotic syndrome

ABSTRACT

Serum zine, copper, selenium and management were estimated in twenty children with nephritic syndrome and another twenty healthy controls. Serum level of zinc, copper and selenium showed highly significant decrease [P0.05] but serum magnesium level showed highly significant increase in nephritic children [p< 0.005]. A significant positive correlation was found between serum albumin and serum zinc, copper and selenium in nephritic children [r= +0.304, + 0.440 and + 0.471 respectively] in addition to an insignificant negative correlation between serum albumin and serum magnesium [r= -0.135]. Other significant negative correlations were found between 24 hour urine proteins and serum zinc, copper and selenium [r= -0.562, -0.562 and- 0.672 respectively] but serum magnesium showed significant positive correlation with 24 hour urine proteins in nephritic children [r= +0.627]. The postulated mechanisms of changes of these trace elements in nephrortic children were discussed