Serum Zinc in Patients with Protein-Energy Malnutrition Retrospective Assessment of Levels

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the frequency of serum zinc deficiency in children with PEM and to show the relationship between the degree of PEM and serum zinc level. Methods: Retrospective study conducted at Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition clinic, in a Selçuk University Hospital, 506 patients who aged between 1 and 18 years and diagnosed with PEM according to the Waterlow (YGB, BGA) classification were included in the study. Results: The prevalence of serum zinc deficiency in PEM patients was found to be 61.1%. The mean serum zinc levels of the patients in aged 1-5 founded significantly lower than the mean serum zinc levels of the patients in aged 5-12 and aged 12-18. There was no difference between PEM grades which calculated according to BGA and YGB criteria and serum zinc level averages. Although the relationship between the PEM grade calculated according to the BGA scale and the serum zinc level averages was not statistically significant degree, contrary to the increase in PEM grade, the mean decrease in serum zinc levels was noteworthy. Conclusion: It is important to measure serum zinc levels routinely in patients with PEM and to initiate zinc supplementation if deficiency is detected.