Zinc status in children and young adults with sickle cell disease. Am J Dis Child 1988 Dec;142(12):1356-9
Date
12/01/1988Pubmed ID
3195534DOI
10.1001/archpedi.1988.02150120110052Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0024162358 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 12 CitationsAbstract
Previous studies have suggested an association of zinc deficiency and short stature in some children and adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). As a result, zinc supplementation has been recommended for these patients. The mechanism for zinc deficiency in certain patients with SCD is unknown, although renal loss of zinc has been suggested as a contributing factor. The zinc status of 29 subjects with SCD and 18 black controls was studied. No evidence of zinc deficiency in our population with SCD was found when plasma and cellular zinc levels were measured. Likewise, levels of two zinc-dependent enzymes, alkaline phosphatase and delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, were normal in these subjects with SCD. Although adolescent subjects with SCD tended to be shorter than control subjects, there was no correlation between the height-forage z score and plasma zinc levels (r = -.31). It was concluded that zinc deficiency was not present in our population with SCD, and that there was no correlation between plasma zinc levels and the height-for-age z score in growing adolescent patients with SCD. These findings suggested that zinc supplementation may not be necessary in all patients with SCD.
Author List
Abshire TC, English JL, Githens JH, Hambidge MMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Anemia, Sickle Cell
Blood Platelets
Body Height
Child
Female
Humans
Leukocytes, Mononuclear
Male
Middle Aged
Zinc
