Abstract
Background and Objectives:The objective of this study was to determine and compare serum zinc concentration in children with failure to thrive and well thrived (Weight and Height above 50th percentile) at Northwest of Tabriz 2001.
Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 172 failure to thrive (as a case) and 154 well thrived (control) children that had been matched from the view point of age and sex. From all children 3 milliliter vein blood was obtained. Serum zinc was measured by atomic absorbtion spectrophotometer. Mean of serum zinc in two groups was compared using student t test and Chi-Square test.
Results: The mean of serum zinc concentration in failure to thrive children was 77.65 ± 20 µg/ dl, and well grown was 85.8± 16.9 µg/dl, The difference between two groups was significant ( p<0.001 ). Serum zinc level of 35.9 % of cases and 22% of control group was lower than normal (p= 0.028 ) and 6.5% and 6.7 % of cases and control were higher than normal range, respectively.
Conclusion: The mean of serum zinc level in children with failure to thrive was lower than well thrived children.
MJTUMS, NO. 64, 24-27, 2005