Background In thalassemia patients, reduced zinc absorption results from increased serum iron due to repeated blood transfusions, increased iron absorption due to ineffective erythropoiesis, and competitive inhibition between iron and zinc in binding to transferrin, a means of transporting both types of minerals in the blood. Few studies have been done to examine zinc levels in thalassemia patients and its relationship with ferritin. Objective To compare serum zinc in thalassemia patients and healthy controls and to assess for a possible correlation between serum ferritin and zinc in thalassemia patients. Methods This cross-sectional study in 68 subjects was done from October 2016 to August 2017. Serum ferritin measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay and serum zinc by inductively coupled plasma mass  spectrometry (ICP-MS). Wilcoxon test was used to analyze for differences between serum zinc in thalassemia patients and controls. Spearman’s correlation test was used to analyze for a possible correlation between ferritin and serum zinc in thalassemia patients. Results There were 34 patients with thalassemia and 34 healthy control subjects. The median serum zinc was 119.34 µg/dL (IQR=71.27) in the thalassemia group and 120.08 µg/dL (IQR=26.28) in the control group (P=0.36). There was no significant correlation between serum ferritin and zinc in thalassemic children (r=-0.023; P=0.895). Conclusion There is no significant difference in serum zinc levels between thalassemic children and healthy controls. There is  no significant correlation between serum ferritin and zinc in thalassemic children.

AbstrakLatar belakang: Kejadian kanker pada anak terus meningkat dan menjadi masalah kesehatan dunia. Angka ketahanan hidup pasien dengan keganasan semakin meningkat sejalan dengan berjalannya kemoterapi dan modalitas terapi untuk keganasan lainnya. Tujuan: Mengetahui angka ketahanan hidup 3 tahun pasien kanker anak yang di rawat di RSUP Dr. M Djamil Padang. Metode: Penelitian secara retrospektif, menggunakan data rekam medik anak yang didiagnosis kanker di RSUP Dr M Djamil Padang dari 1 Januari 2013 -31 Desember 2013. Data diambil pada Maret 2016. Kriteria inklusi adalah seluruh pasien kanker anak yang didiagnosis tahun 2013. karakteristik pasien dan status kehidupan saat ini dicatat. Angka ketahanan hidup dihitung menggunakan metode Kaplan Meier. Hasil: Terdapat 29 pasien kanker anak tahun 2013 dengan kelompok usia terbanyak 1-4 tahun (48,3%) dengan jumlah laki-laki dan perempuan hampir sama. Leukemia akut limfoblastik (ALL) merupakan kanker anak terbanyak (22 orang, 75,9%). Dari 29 pasien kanker anak 20 (69%) diantaranya masih bertahan hidup, 6 orang (20,7%) meninggal dan 3 orang (10,3%) tidak diketahui. Angka ketahanan hidup 3 tahun pasien kanker anak secara keseluruhan adalah 76,9%. Angka ketahanan hidup 3 tahun pada pasien leukemia limfoblastik akut 94,7%. Kesimpulan: Angka ketahanan hidup anak dengan keganasan di RSUP Dr M Djamil Padang cukup baik. Kata kunci: Kanker anak, tiga tahun angka ketahanan hidup, Rumah Sakit DR. M Djamil Padang Abstract Background: The incidence of cancer in children has increased and became a global health problem. Survival rates of patients with cancer is increasing along with the chemotherapy and other therapeutic modalities for cancer. Objective: To know the three year survival rate of pediatric cancer patients treated in the Dr. M Djamil Hospital Padang Methods: A retrospective study had been conducted using medical records of children diagnosed with cancer in Dr M Djamil Hospital Padang from 1 January to 31 December 2013. The data were collected in March 2016. The inclusion criteria were all children with cancer diagnosed in 2013. Characteristics including age, sex, diagnosis and current life status of patients were recorded. Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results. There are 29 child cancer patients diagnosed in 2013 and most of them are 1-4 years of age (48.3%). Boys and girls are similarly affected. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric cancer (22 children, 75.9%), Of 29 pediatric cancer, 20(69%) children still survive, 6(20.7%) children died and three (10.3%) children were not known. Three years survival rate of all pediatric cancer was 76.9%. Three years survival rate of acute lymphoblastic leukemia was 94.7%. Conclusion: Survival rates of pediatrics cancer patients in Dr. M. Djamil Padang is quite good.