Jun Ishihara1, Katsuhiro Arai2, Takahiro Kudo3, Ryusuke Nambu4, Hitoshi Tajiri5, Tomoki Aomatsu6, Naoki Abe7, Toshihiko Kakiuchi8, Kunio Hashimoto9, Tsuyoshi Sogo10, Michiko Takahashi11, Yuri Etani12, Ryosuke Yasuda1, Hirotaka Sakaguchi1, Ken-Ichiro Konishi1, Hitoshi Obara13, Tatsuyuki Kakuma13, Yushiro Yamashita1, Tatsuki Mizuochi14. 1. Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 8300011, Japan. 2. Division of Gastroenterology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan. 3. Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan. 4. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saitama Children's Medical Center, Saitama, Japan. 5. Department of Pediatrics, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan. 6. Department of Pediatrics, Osaka Medical College, Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan. 7. Department of Infection and Immunology, Aichi Children's Health and Medical Center, Aichi, Japan. 8. Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan. 9. Department of Pediatrics, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan. 10. Department of Pediatric Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Saiseikai Yokohamashi Tobu Hospital, Yokohama, Japan. 11. Department of Pediatrics, Sapporo Kosei General Hospital, Sapporo, Japan. 12. Department of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, Osaka, Japan. 13. Biostatistics Center, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan. 14. Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 8300011, Japan. mizuochi_tatsuki@kurume-u.ac.jp.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Reports of zinc and selenium deficiencies accompanying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mostly have originated from Western countries and concerned adult patients. Whether Japanese children with IBD have similar deficiencies remained unclear. AIM: We aimed to elucidate differences in serum zinc and selenium concentrations in Japanese children between types of IBD. METHODS: Children under 17 years old undergoing care at 12 Japanese pediatric centers were retrospectively enrolled between November 2016 and February 2018 to 3 groups representing Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and normal controls (NC) with irritable bowel syndrome or no illnesses. Serum zinc and selenium were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Zinc and selenium deficiencies were defined by serum concentrations < 70 μg/dL and < 9.5 μg/dL, respectively. RESULTS: Subjects included 98 patients with CD (median age, 13 years), 118 with UC (11 years), and 43 NC (11 years). Serum zinc and selenium were significantly lower in CD (median, 64 and 12.6 μg/dL respectively) than in UC (69 and 14.6; P < 0.05 and P < 0.001) or NC (77 and 15.7; P < 0.01 and P < 0.001). Zinc deficiency was significantly more prevalent in CD (60.2%) than in NC (37.2%; P < 0.05), but not than in UC (51.7%; P = 0.22). Selenium deficiency was significantly more prevalent in CD (15.3%) than in UC (5.9%; P < 0.05) or NC (0%; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese children under 17 years old, serum zinc and selenium were significantly lower in CD than in UC or NC. Zinc and selenium should be monitored, and supplemented when deficient, in children with IBD, especially CD.
BACKGROUND: Reports of zinc and selenium deficiencies accompanying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mostly have originated from Western countries and concerned adult patients. Whether Japanese children with IBD have similar deficiencies remained unclear. AIM: We aimed to elucidate differences in serum zinc and selenium concentrations in Japanese children between types of IBD. METHODS: Children under 17 years old undergoing care at 12 Japanese pediatric centers were retrospectively enrolled between November 2016 and February 2018 to 3 groups representing Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and normal controls (NC) with irritable bowel syndrome or no illnesses. Serum zinc and selenium were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Zinc and selenium deficiencies were defined by serum concentrations < 70 μg/dL and < 9.5 μg/dL, respectively. RESULTS: Subjects included 98 patients with CD (median age, 13 years), 118 with UC (11 years), and 43 NC (11 years). Serum zinc and selenium were significantly lower in CD (median, 64 and 12.6 μg/dL respectively) than in UC (69 and 14.6; P < 0.05 and P < 0.001) or NC (77 and 15.7; P < 0.01 and P < 0.001). Zinc deficiency was significantly more prevalent in CD (60.2%) than in NC (37.2%; P < 0.05), but not than in UC (51.7%; P = 0.22). Selenium deficiency was significantly more prevalent in CD (15.3%) than in UC (5.9%; P < 0.05) or NC (0%; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese children under 17 years old, serum zinc and selenium were significantly lower in CD than in UC or NC. Zinc and selenium should be monitored, and supplemented when deficient, in children with IBD, especially CD.