Correlation between trace elements levels and humoral immunity in children aged 0-9 years in Shenyang / 中国基层医药

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the levels of trace elements(iron, zinc, magnesium and copper) in 0~9 years old children in Shenyang, and to explore the relationship between trace elements and humoral immunity(IgA, IgG and IgM).Methods:From September 2018 to October 2019, retrospective analysis was performed in children aged 0-9 who admitted to the Fourth Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University and underwent trace elements and humoral immunity(IgA, IgG and IgM).Results:A total of 422 children met the criteria, including 228 boys and 194 girls.The rates of iron deficiency in children aged 0-3, 4-6 and 7-9 were 17.5%, 18.2% and 14.0%, respectively, and zinc deficiency rates were 10.0%, 9.0% and 10.5%, respectively.There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of iron deficiency and zinc deficiency in each age group(χ 2=0.520, P>0.05; χ 2=0.135, P>0.05). Magnesium and copper levels in all children were in the normal range.The levels of IgA and IgG [(1.24±0.77)g/L, (9.07±3.04)g/L] in the zinc deficiency group were significantly lower than those in the normal group [(0.94±0.55)g/L, (8.18±2.11)g/L], the differences were statistically significant( t=-2.858, -2.440, all P<0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference in IgM level between the two groups( t=-0.870, P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in IgA, IgG and IgM levels between the iron deficiency group and the iron normal group( t=-1.346, -0.960, 0.029, all P>0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between zinc level and IgA, IgG levels( r=0.184, 0.142, all P<0.05), but there was no significant correlation with IgM( r=0.08, P>0.05). Iron, copper and magnesium levels were not significantly correlated with IgA, IgG and IgM levels( P>0.05). Conclusion:Deficiency of zinc can cause reduction of IgA and IgG, which may be related to repeated infection in children.