Serum zinc and copper level in children with protein energy malnutrition

Abstract

This case control study was carried out in the department of Biochemistry, Mymensingh Medical College in co-operation with the Pediatric wards of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital and Ganashasthya Nagar Hospital, Dhaka during the period from July 2005 to June 2006. The aim of the study was to explore the status of serum zinc and copper level in Bangladeshi children with Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) as a means to monitor the possibility of management of these children as each of these mineral deficiencies produce typical deficiency syndromes. A total of 68 children aging from five months to five years were included in this study. Subjects were divided into two groups-Group I (Control; n=20)-children with normal growth, weight for age between 3rd and 97th centile curve, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) growth chart, USA, 2000 and group II-(children with PEM; n=48)-children with retarded growth, weight for age below 3rd centile of CDC growth chart, USA, 2000. Group II was again divided into three subgroups according to Wellcome classification of PEM and clinical features. These were Group IIA: Marasmus (n=19), Group IIB: Kwashiorkor (n=14) and Group IIC: Marasmic Kwashiorkor (n=15). Serum zinc and copper levels were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric method. Statistical analysis was done by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) window package. Among the different groups of children mean+/-SD (Standard Deviation) of serum zinc in PEM (59.85+/-11.18 microg/dl), Marasmus (66.73+/-8.23 microg/dl), Kwashiorkor (49.69+/-10.35 microg/dl) and Marasmic Kwashiorkor (60.63+/-8.04 microg/dl) were all significantly lower (p<0.001) than in control group (106.16+/-13.36 microg/dl). Similarly mean+/-SD of serum copper in PEM (82.73+/-16.35 microg/dl), Marasmus (93.72+/-9.77 microg/dl), Kwashiorkor (63.75+/-13.12 microg/dl) and Marasmic Kwashiorkor (86.52+/-8.68 microg/dl) were all also significantly lower (p<0.001) than in control group (135.88+/-11.88 microg/dl). It is evident from the study that serum zinc and copper level significantly decrease in children with PEM.