Levels of Serum Zinc in Children With Enterocolitis and Chronic Malabsorption Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Serum zinc concentration is the most widely used marker of zinc status. Methods: We used a spectrophotometric method with chromogen 4-(2-pyridylazo) resorcinol sodium salt to measure serum zinc concentrations. Results: Zinc level in serum was measured in children with acute enterocolitis (AE)— 12.87±2.42 μmol/L, chronic malabsorption syndrome (MS)—8.59±2.30 μmol/L, and control groups of healthy children—18.90 ± 5.75 μmol/L. The zinc levels in children with AE and MS were significantly lower compared to those in healthy controls. Conclusion: Serum zinc is a widely used clinical and laboratory indicator for assessment of low levels of zinc and zinc deficiency. With its good analytical parameters and accuracy, the applied spectophotometric method for measurement of serum zinc could be used for diagnosing of zinc deficiency. In the present study, it is applied for the first time in children with AE and MS.