M Ray1, L Kumar, R Prasad. 1. Department of Paediatrics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Abstract
SETTING: Department of Paediatrics and Biochemistry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. OBJECTIVE: To assess the plasma zinc status in children with tuberculosis and to correlate it with nutritional status, activity and severity of disease in relation to antituberculosis therapy. DESIGN: The plasma zinc status of 50 children with different forms of tuberculosis was compared with 10 healthy and 10 malnourished children without tuberculosis at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 6 months of antituberculosis therapy. RESULT: The mean plasma zinc concentration in children with pulmonary tuberculosis (n = 20) was 68.65+/-2.50 microg/dl, central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis (n = 10) was 64.20+/-3.82 microg/dl, tuberculous lymphadenitis (n = 10) was 63.2+/-3.77 microg/dl and disseminated tuberculosis (n = 10) was 59.0+/-2.75 microg/dl at 0 months. The mean plasma zinc level of healthy children was 129.10+/-3.01 microg/dl and in malnourished non-tuberculous children it was 108.40+/-3.16 microg/dl. Thus children with tuberculosis had significantly lower plasma zinc level than those without tuberculosis, irrespective of their nutritional status (P < 0.001). There was a significant rise in zinc level at the end of 6 months of antituberculosis therapy (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Plasma zinc status may prove to be a good objective marker for monitoring the severity of the disease and the response to therapy.
SETTING: Department of Paediatrics and Biochemistry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. OBJECTIVE: To assess the plasma zinc status in children with tuberculosis and to correlate it with nutritional status, activity and severity of disease in relation to antituberculosis therapy. DESIGN: The plasma zinc status of 50 children with different forms of tuberculosis was compared with 10 healthy and 10 malnourished children without tuberculosis at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 6 months of antituberculosis therapy. RESULT: The mean plasma zinc concentration in children with pulmonary tuberculosis (n = 20) was 68.65+/-2.50 microg/dl, central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis (n = 10) was 64.20+/-3.82 microg/dl, tuberculous lymphadenitis (n = 10) was 63.2+/-3.77 microg/dl and disseminated tuberculosis (n = 10) was 59.0+/-2.75 microg/dl at 0 months. The mean plasma zinc level of healthy children was 129.10+/-3.01 microg/dl and in malnourished non-tuberculous children it was 108.40+/-3.16 microg/dl. Thus children with tuberculosis had significantly lower plasma zinc level than those without tuberculosis, irrespective of their nutritional status (P < 0.001). There was a significant rise in zinc level at the end of 6 months of antituberculosis therapy (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Plasma zinc status may prove to be a good objective marker for monitoring the severity of the disease and the response to therapy.