LEVEL OF SERUM ZINC IN BANGLADESHI CHILDREN WITH BETA-THALASSEMIA MAJOR

Objectives: To observe serum zinc level in Beta thalassemia major (β-TM) and healthy children and to find out the difference between two arms of iron chelator drugs (DFO and DFO plus DEF) including zinc deficiency and routine zinc supplement.

Materials and Methods: Over a period of year from age 1 to 15 years, seventy five children with β-TM and sixty five controls (male, 40), (female, 25) of same age and sex were included. Among seventy five children forty five received deferroxamine (DFO): (male, 25) and (female, 20) and the rest thirty received combination therapy with DFO and deferiprone (DEF), (male, 16) and (female, 14). Complete blood counts and serum zinc were estimated.

Results: Mean age of patient with β-TM and control were 10±5 years. Mean serum zinc level treated with DFO was 62.97±21.12 µgm/dl, DFO and DEF was 65.10±28.50 µgm/dl and in control was 59.16±26.54 µgm/dl. No significant difference had observed between thalassemia and healthy children (p=0.08) but hypozincemia of significant value was observed in male children of β-TM treated only with DFO compared to healthy counterpart (p=0.04). Hypozincemia found in 55% children of β-TM treated with DFO, 42% of β-TM treated with DFO+DEF. In control, hypozincemia were found in 35% children. About 45 to 50% of β-TM and 35% of healthy children found hypozincemia. Severity of hypoziincemia found no significant difference in between four groups of β-TM and controls (p=0.06), except in those treated only with DFO in group IV compared to group I and group III (p=0.04).

Conclusion: Hypozincemia is a major health problem both in normal and β-TM children. Periodic estimation of serum zinc and routine supplement of zinc is recommended in normal children and β-TM children treated with iron chelating agents.