Serum and Stool Levels of Zinc, Copper and Vitamin A in Children aged 6-24 Months with Diarrhoea

Abstract

Abstract  Background: Diarrhoea is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among infants and young children in developing countries. More than half of the deaths due to diarrhoea results from dehydration and/or excessive loss of essential nutrients including micronutrients such as zinc, copper and vitamin A These micronutrients are essential for immunological protection, as well as the proper growth and development of children.

Objective: To determine the serum and stool levels of zinc, copper and vitamin A in children presenting with diarrhoea.

Methods: This was a comparative cross-sectional study. Thirty consecutive infants with diarrhoea from the Diarrhoea Training Unit (subjects) and thirty without diarrhoea (controls) from the Infant Welfare clinic of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH], were studied. The feeding practices, diarrhoeal history, and anthropometric measurements of the study and control groups were noted. Their sera and stool samples were analyzed for zinc and copper using Vernox Elmer Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer and for Vitamin A using spectrophotometer Pye Unicain PU 8600. The data obtained were analysed statistically.

Results: The age, body mass index (BMI), mid upper arm circumference MUAC] and sex distribution of children in the two groups were similar but their mean weight, and length/ height were significantly different (p<0.05). The subjects had significantly lower serum zinc [2.32+0.72ug/ml vs 2.67 +0.43] and vitamin A (1.94+0.47 umol/l vs. 2.48+0.46] levels but significantly higher serum copper [2.80 + 0.93ug/ml vs 1.83 +0.42] and stool zinc (0.67 + 0.03 g/mol vs 0.45 + 0.01 levels.

Conclusion: The results of our study highlights the impact of diarrhoea which results in excessive faecal loss of zinc and vitamin A with parallel increase in the serum copper concentration. This finding supports the WHO recommendation that children with diarrhoea should have vitamin A and zinc supplements in their diet.

Keywords: Zinc, Copper, Vitamin A, Children, Diarrhoea