Assessment of Serum Zinc Levels of Patients with Thalassemia Compared to Their Siblings

Zinc (Zn) is essential for appropriate growth and proper immune function, both of which may be impaired in thalassemia children. Factors that can affect serum Zn levels in these patients may be related to their disease or treatment or nutritional causes. We assessed the serum Zn levels of children w...

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Main Authors: Mohamed El Missiry, Mohamed Hamed Hussein, Sadaf Khalid, Naila Yaqub, Sarah Khan, Fatima Itrat, Cornelio Uderzo, Lawrence Faulkner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:Anemia
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/125452
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author Mohamed El Missiry
Mohamed Hamed Hussein
Sadaf Khalid
Naila Yaqub
Sarah Khan
Fatima Itrat
Cornelio Uderzo
Lawrence Faulkner
author_facet Mohamed El Missiry
Mohamed Hamed Hussein
Sadaf Khalid
Naila Yaqub
Sarah Khan
Fatima Itrat
Cornelio Uderzo
Lawrence Faulkner
author_sort Mohamed El Missiry
collection DOAJ
description Zinc (Zn) is essential for appropriate growth and proper immune function, both of which may be impaired in thalassemia children. Factors that can affect serum Zn levels in these patients may be related to their disease or treatment or nutritional causes. We assessed the serum Zn levels of children with thalassemia paired with a sibling. Zn levels were obtained from 30 children in Islamabad, Pakistan. Serum Zn levels and anthropometric data measures were compared among siblings. Thalassemia patients’ median age was 4.5 years (range 1–10.6 years) and siblings was 7.8 years (range 1.1–17 years). The median serum Zn levels for both groups were within normal range: 100 μg/dL (10 μg/dL–297 μg/dL) for patients and 92 μg/dL (13 μg/dL–212 μg/dL) for siblings. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Patients’ serum Zn values correlated positively with their corresponding siblings (r=0.635, P<0.001). There were no correlations between patients’ Zn levels, height for age Z-scores, serum ferritin levels, chelation, or blood counts (including both total leukocyte and absolute lymphocyte counts). Patients’ serum Zn values correlated with their siblings’ values. In this study, patients with thalassemia do not seem to have disease-related Zn deficiency.
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spelling doaj-art-60a40acdccb943c4aeb970bd948edc1e2025-08-20T02:35:18ZengWileyAnemia2090-12672090-12752014-01-01201410.1155/2014/125452125452Assessment of Serum Zinc Levels of Patients with Thalassemia Compared to Their SiblingsMohamed El Missiry0Mohamed Hamed Hussein1Sadaf Khalid2Naila Yaqub3Sarah Khan4Fatima Itrat5Cornelio Uderzo6Lawrence Faulkner7Cure2Children Foundation, Via Marconi 30, 50131 Florence, ItalyCure2Children Foundation, Via Marconi 30, 50131 Florence, ItalyCure2Children Foundation, Via Marconi 30, 50131 Florence, ItalyChildren’s Hospital Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, PakistanChildren’s Hospital Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, PakistanChildren’s Hospital Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, PakistanCure2Children Foundation, Via Marconi 30, 50131 Florence, ItalyCure2Children Foundation, Via Marconi 30, 50131 Florence, ItalyZinc (Zn) is essential for appropriate growth and proper immune function, both of which may be impaired in thalassemia children. Factors that can affect serum Zn levels in these patients may be related to their disease or treatment or nutritional causes. We assessed the serum Zn levels of children with thalassemia paired with a sibling. Zn levels were obtained from 30 children in Islamabad, Pakistan. Serum Zn levels and anthropometric data measures were compared among siblings. Thalassemia patients’ median age was 4.5 years (range 1–10.6 years) and siblings was 7.8 years (range 1.1–17 years). The median serum Zn levels for both groups were within normal range: 100 μg/dL (10 μg/dL–297 μg/dL) for patients and 92 μg/dL (13 μg/dL–212 μg/dL) for siblings. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Patients’ serum Zn values correlated positively with their corresponding siblings (r=0.635, P<0.001). There were no correlations between patients’ Zn levels, height for age Z-scores, serum ferritin levels, chelation, or blood counts (including both total leukocyte and absolute lymphocyte counts). Patients’ serum Zn values correlated with their siblings’ values. In this study, patients with thalassemia do not seem to have disease-related Zn deficiency.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/125452
spellingShingle Mohamed El Missiry
Mohamed Hamed Hussein
Sadaf Khalid
Naila Yaqub
Sarah Khan
Fatima Itrat
Cornelio Uderzo
Lawrence Faulkner
Assessment of Serum Zinc Levels of Patients with Thalassemia Compared to Their Siblings
Anemia
title Assessment of Serum Zinc Levels of Patients with Thalassemia Compared to Their Siblings
title_full Assessment of Serum Zinc Levels of Patients with Thalassemia Compared to Their Siblings
title_fullStr Assessment of Serum Zinc Levels of Patients with Thalassemia Compared to Their Siblings
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of Serum Zinc Levels of Patients with Thalassemia Compared to Their Siblings
title_short Assessment of Serum Zinc Levels of Patients with Thalassemia Compared to Their Siblings
title_sort assessment of serum zinc levels of patients with thalassemia compared to their siblings
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/125452
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