The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics 2014 , Vol 56 , Num 2
Effect of Supplementary Zinc on Body Mass Index, Pulmonary Function and Hospitalization in Children with Cystic Fibrosis
1Department of Pediatrics, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, 2Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, 3Children’s Medical Center, Pediatrics Center of Excellence, 4School of Nutrition and Dietetics, 5Molecular Immunology Research Center, and Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, 6Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: rezaei_nima@tums.ac.ir or pederam_ataee2006@yahoo.com Zinc deficiency, which is common in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), can lead to several complications that may increase the number of hospital admissions in this group of patients. As supplementary zinc can prevent such complications, this study was performed to evaluate the effect of supplementary zinc on body mass index (BMI), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and number of hospitalizations in CF patients.

In this study, 30 children with CF, who were referred to the Digestive Diseases Clinic of the Children’s Medical Center in Tehran, were enrolled. Supplementary zinc of 2 mg/kg per day was administered to all patients. Serum level of zinc, alkaline phosphatase, and albumin as well as BMI, FEV1, and number of hospitalizations were compared before and after zinc administration.

Height (p<0.001), weight (p<0.001) and BMI (p=0.001) were significantly increased after zinc, while the number of hospitalizations was significantly decreased (p=0.023). In contrast to patients with normal pulmonary function tests who received supplement therapy, BMI was not increased in those with abnormal pulmonary function after supplementary zinc.

Supplementary zinc can increase BMI in CF patients, mostly in those with normal pulmonary function. While supplementary zinc may decrease the number of hospitalizations, other factors can also influence the hospitalization number. Keywords : cystic fibrosis, zinc deficiency, supplementary zinc, body mass index, pulmonary function test, hospitalization.

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