Childhood asthma biomarkers including zinc: An exploratory cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Childhood bronchial asthma (BA) is a chronic inflammatory respiratory disease. Nutritional conditions, including zinc deficiency, can affect such allergic disorders.

AIM: To outline the difference in serum zinc levels between asthmatic children and healthy controls.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Children's Hospital, Cairo University, investigating serum zinc levels in children with BA ( n = 40) and healthy children ( n = 21). Other markers included serum ferritin, iron, hemoglobin (Hb), and immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. Independent t -tests and Mann-Whinny tests were used for comparisons. The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to compare serum ferritin and IgE levels with regard to asthma severity. Spearman's rank correlation was performed to explore the relationship between serum ferritin levels and both iron and Hb levels in asthmatic children.

RESULTS: Children with BA had higher levels of zinc, yet the difference was not significant ( P = 0.115). Serum ferritin and IgE levels were significantly higher in asthmatic children ( P = 0.006 and 0.001, respectively), yet their levels did not differ significantly by severity ( P = 0.623 and 0.126, respectively). There was a nonsignificant weak correlation between serum ferritin levels and both serum iron and Hb levels.

CONCLUSION: Serum zinc levels do not seem to differ between asthmatic children and healthy children. Serum ferritin levels may be a marker of asthma control. Serum IgE levels are not markers of asthma severity.