Authors : Kavitha M M, Mahantesh Bhutal, Chandrashekharayya SH, Sunitha H, Neela Mannangi
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijcbr.2020.020
Volume : 7
Issue : 1
Year : 2020
Page No : 98-101
Introduction: Acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) is a substantial cause of mortality and morbidity
in children less than 5 years of age. ALRI is one of the major reasons for which children are brought to the
hospitals and seek health facilities. Pneumonia was responsible for about 18% of all under 5 year death in
India. Zinc (Zn) is a trace element with demonstrable effect on immune mediated production of interferon.
Low zinc levels not only impairs the immunity but it also enhances the infection along with a reduction in
the clearance of infectious agents. Hence present study was undertaken with intention to assess the serum
zinc levels in children suffering from pneumonia.
Material and Methods: Study protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) of the
college and written informed consent was taken from all children parents/guardians before conducting the
study. Study comprises sixty children with clinically diagnosed pneumonia (according to WHO criteria)
and sixty were healthy controls of the age group between six months to five years. Under aseptic precaution
2mL of venous blood was drawn and used for estimation of zinc by NITRO-PAPS method and CRP by
immunoturbidimetric method .
Results: There was significant decrease (p<0> levels in pneumonia children compared to healthy children. Serum zinc levels goes on decreases with
severity of the disease hence it was negative correlation.
Keywords: Serum zinc, C-reactive protein, Acute lower respiratory tract infection, Serum zinc, Acute lower respiratory tract infection.