Serum Zinc in Patients with Protein-Energy Malnutrition Retrospective Assessment of Levels

Year 2023, Volume: 33 Issue: 3, 274 - 277, 30.06.2023

Hasan Özen , Halil Haldun Emiroğlu , Melike Emiroğlu , Neriman Akdam , Alaaddin Yorulmaz

https://doi.org/10.54005/geneltip.1203102

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the frequency of serum zinc deficiency in children with PEM and to show the relationship between the degree of PEM and serum zinc level.
Methods: Retrospective study conducted at Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition clinic, in a Selçuk University Hospital, 506 patients who aged between 1 and 18 years and diagnosed with PEM according to the Waterlow (YGB, BGA) classification were included in the study.
Results: The prevalence of serum zinc deficiency in PEM patients was found to be 61.1%. The mean serum zinc levels of the patients in aged 1-5 founded significantly lower than the mean serum zinc levels of the patients in aged 5-12 and aged 12-18. There was no difference between PEM grades which calculated according to BGA and YGB criteria and serum zinc level averages. Although the relationship between the PEM grade calculated according to the BGA scale and the serum zinc level averages was not statistically significant degree, contrary to the increase in PEM grade, the mean decrease in serum zinc levels was noteworthy.
Conclusion: It is important to measure serum zinc levels routinely in patients with PEM and to initiate zinc supplementation if deficiency is detected.

Keywords

Zinc;, Prevalence;, Protein-energy malnutrition.

Serum Zinc in Patients with Protein-Energy Malnutrition Retrospective Assessment of Levels

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, PEM'li çocuklarda serum çinko eksikliği sıklığını araştırmayı ve PEM derecesi ile serum çinko düzeyi arasındaki ilişkiyi göstermeyi amaçlandı.
Yöntemler: Selçuk Üniversitesi Hastanesi Çocuk Gastroenteroloji, Hepatoloji ve Beslenme kliniğinde yapılan retrospektif çalışmada, Waterlow (YGB, BGA) sınıflamasına göre PEM tanısı almış 1-18 yaş arası 506 hasta çalışmaya dahil edildi.
Bulgular: PEM hastalarında serum çinko eksikliği prevalansı %61,1 olarak bulundu. 1-5 yaş arası hastaların ortalama serum çinko düzeyleri, 5-12 yaş ve 12-18 yaş arası hastaların ortalama serum çinko düzeylerinden anlamlı derecede düşük bulundu. BGA ve YGB kriterlerine göre hesaplanan PEM dereceleri ile serum çinko düzeyi ortalamaları arasında fark yoktu. BGA skalasına göre hesaplanan PEM derecesi ile serum çinko düzeyi ortalamaları arasındaki ilişki istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede olmasa da PEM düzeyindeki artışın aksine serum çinko düzeylerindeki ortalama düşüş dikkat çekiciydi.
Sonuç: PEM'li hastalarda serum çinko düzeylerinin rutin olarak ölçülmesi ve eksiklik saptanırsa çinko desteğine başlanması önemlidir.

Keywords

Zinc;, Prevalence;, Protein-energy malnutrition.

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