Serum zinc level in children with malnutrition

ABSTRACT

Serum zinc level amongst children with protein energy malnutrition [PEM] was evaluated in a control study conducted in the Department of Paediatrics, Allama lqbal Medical College and Jinnah Hospital, Lahore. Twenty-five children with PEM and 25 healthy children as control from the community were screened. Mean serum zinc level was found to be 54.48 +/- 18.91 mg/dl in children with PEM while it was 72.72 +/- 8.21 mg/dl in control group [P< 0.001]. No significant difference in zinc level was noted between both sexes in each group. Marasmic 16 children revealed mean serum zinc level of 57.55 +/- 18.16 mg/dl while in Kwashiorkor it was 44.57 +/- 13.66 mg/dl. Serum zinc was significantly low in Kwashiorkor than in marasmus [P < 0.001]. It was also significantly low in children with acute or chronic diarrhoea associated with malnutrition [44.66 +/- 16.0 mg/dl]. Acute respiratory infections in these children were not associated with low serum zinc level [71.66 +/- 16.51 mg/dl]