Estimation of Zinc Levels in Children With Lower Respiratory Tract Infections: A Prospective Observational Study from India

Abstract

Aims: To assess the serum zinc levels in children aged 2 months to 5 years admitted with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections and to study the association between low zinc levels and other known risk factors LRTI. Material and Method: This prospective, observational study enrolled 200 children in age group of 2 months to 5 years admitted with acute LRTI. Serum Zinc level were measured and its association was seen with other risk factors of LRTI. Results: Mean serum zinc level of study population was 57.9±29.2 microgram/dL. There was significant difference in zinc level depending on severity of pneumonia, nutritional status, anemia, clinical vitamin A deficiency, breast feed infants and birth weight (p<0.05). Conclusion: Low serum level of zinc were seen in severe pneumonia cases. Serum zinc levels were found to be lower in risk factors of LRTI like poor nutritional status, anemia, vitamin A deficiency, low birth weight and formula fed patients. Zinc supplementation is required in LRTI patients especially those with the above mentioned risk factors.

Plasma zinc levels in normal and malnourished children with lower respiratory tract infection from 2 months to 5 years of age

“…16,17 In present study the most common diagnosis was WALRI (55%) followed by bronchiolitis (30%) and pneumonia (15%) which was in contrast to a study conducted by Hussain A et al, in which 40% of the study population had pneumonia and 18% of the children had WALRI and 14% of children had bronchiolitis and also in contrast to the studies conducted by Ibraheem R et al, in which 79% of the children had pneumonia and 9% had bronchiolitis. 14,18 Other studies conducted by Panneerselvam R et al, Memon M et al, Kumar S et al, and Arica S et al, also revealed majority of children had pneumonia as the leading diagnosis which was not similar to our study. 16,17,19,20 In present study, 46% of children belonged to upper lower socio-economic class, 24%, 16%, 8% and 6% belonged to middle, upper middle, upper and lower respectively.…”

“…Present study population consists of cases and controls between 2 months to 60 months of age which was similar to the study done Hussain A et al 14 The mean age of the study population was 31.5±16.94 months which was found to be in contrast to studies done by Rady HI et al, in which the mean age was 24±16.3 months. 15 This difference in mean age among various studies may be due to wide variation in the causative organisms that led to LRI.…”

“…16 In 55% of the study population, chest x-ray was normal, 30% had hyperinflation and 15% had pneumonia which was contrast to the study conducted Hussain A et al,14 in which 16% of children were normal, 24% had pneumonia and 8% had hyperinflation. 14 In present study, 52% of the cases and 8% of controls had low plasma zinc levels. The mean zinc level in our cases was 54.84±18.31 and controls was 76.84±15.2 which was statistically significant (p = 0.000) which was similar to the study done by Ansar Murtuza H et al, where malnourished children with significantly low plasma zinc level than normally nourished children (p = 0.02) and also similar to the studies done Singla PN et al, in which plasma zinc levels was found to be significantly low in malnourished children when compared to normally nourished children z which was statistically significant (p = <0.001).…”

Blood Zinc Level in Benha Children with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections

“…It is thought to diminish weakness to ALRTI by directing different invulnerable capacities including ensuring the wellbeing and honesty of respiratory cells during lung irritation and injury. Supplementation of zinc could decrease the danger of pneumonia and the danger and term of looseness of the bowels, diarrhea and jungle fever passings among every irresistible sickness, and they represented 3.9 million passings around the world [5].…”

Serum zinc levels in children with upper respiratory tract infection in the age 2-12years in Pakistan.

“…Zinc deficiency enhances the risk of restricted growth and developing diarrheal diseases and respiratory tract infections in the zinc deficient children. 3 The deficiency of Serum Zn weakens natural killer cell activity, phagocytosis, and generation of oxidative stress. Zinc restrains host resistance to reduces the duration and infectious agents, risk, and severity of infectious diseases.…”