Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.  2016 Dec;19(4):259-268. 10.5223/pghn.2016.19.4.259.

Hair Zinc Level Analysis and Correlative Micronutrients in Children Presenting with Malnutrition and Poor Growth

• Han TH
• Lee J
• Kim YJ

• KMID: 2364767
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5223/pghn.2016.19.4.259

Abstract

PURPOSE
Zinc deficiency can induce serious clinical problems in the gastrointestinal (GI) system and immune system and can affect growth and development. It is more severe in younger patients. Chronic zinc deficiency is reflected more precisely in hair than in serum. We studied hair zinc levels and other hair and serum micronutrients in chronic malnourished children to identify which micronutrients are affected or correlated with the other ones.
METHODS
Hair mineral analyses were performed in 56 children (age, 1-15 years) presenting with malnutrition, poor growth, poor appetite, anorexia, with/without other GI symptoms (diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation) from August 2012 to March 2015. Biochemical studies for macronutrients and major micronutrients were also conducted.
RESULTS
Hair zinc deficiency was diagnosed in 88%, and serum zinc deficiency was diagnosed in 55% of the children. There was no statistical correlation between serum and tissue zinc level. Hair zinc levels were highly correlated with serum vitamin D (r=−0.479, p=0.001), which also showed correlation with hair levels of magnesium and calcium. (r=0.564, 0.339, p=0.001, 0.011). Hair calcium level was correlated with serum pre-albumin (r=0.423, p=0.001). These correlations may explain the phenomenon that the major clinical manifestation of zinc deficiency is poor body growth. Clinical symptoms were resolved in most children after zinc supplementation.
CONCLUSION
Hair zinc and mineral analyses are useful as a therapeutic guide in the clinical investigation of children with malnutrition and poor growth.

Keyword

Zinc; Hair; Micronutrients; Malnutrition; Growth & development

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Anorexia
Appetite
Calcium
Child*
Growth and Development
Hair*
Humans
Immune System
Magnesium
Malnutrition*
Micronutrients*
Miners
Vitamin D
Zinc*
Calcium
Magnesium
Micronutrients
Vitamin D
Zinc

Figure

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  Fig. 1 There was no statistical correlation between serum and tissue zinc level. Zn: zinc.

• 

  Fig. 2 Hair zinc levels were highly correlated with serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D, which also showed correlation with hair levels of magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. Zn: zinc, Mg: magnesium, Ca: calcium, P: phosphorus.

• 

  Fig. 3 Hair calcium, hair phosphorus, and serum pre-albumin were correlated with each other. Ca: calcium, P: phosphorus

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