Zinc status in children and young adults with sickle cell disease
T. C. Abshire, J. L. English, J. H. Githens and M. Hambidge
Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver.
Previous studies have suggested an association of zinc deficiency and short
stature in some children and adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). As a
result, zinc supplementation has been recommended for these patients. The
mechanism for zinc deficiency in certain patients with SCD is unknown,
although renal loss of zinc has been suggested as a contributing factor.
The zinc status of 29 subjects with SCD and 18 black controls was studied.
No evidence of zinc deficiency in our population with SCD was found when
plasma and cellular zinc levels were measured. Likewise, levels of two
zinc-dependent enzymes, alkaline phosphatase and delta-aminolevulinic acid
dehydratase, were normal in these subjects with SCD. Although adolescent
subjects with SCD tended to be shorter than control subjects, there was no
correlation between the height-forage z score and plasma zinc levels (r =
-.31). It was concluded that zinc deficiency was not present in our
population with SCD, and that there was no correlation between plasma zinc
levels and the height-for-age z score in growing adolescent patients with
SCD. These findings suggested that zinc supplementation may not be
necessary in all patients with SCD.