ZINC DEFICIENCY IN CHILDREN OF 2-24 MONTHS WITH PNEUMONIA TREATED AT THAI NGUYEN NATIONAL HOSPITAL

Abstract

This study assesses zinc deficiency in children 2-24 months of age with pneumonia treated at Thai Nguyen National Hospital. The subjects were 346 patients from 2 to 24 months old, who were diagnosed with pneumonia and treated at The Pediatric Center of Thai Nguyen National Hospital from July 2021 to June 2022. This method was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The results showed that: 80.1% of children had zinc deficiency, and the mean serum zinc concentration was 8.46 ± 2.43 µmol/l. The age group from 13-24 months old had the highest rate of zinc deficiency (85%), and the lowest group was 2-6 months old (73%). The mean serum zinc concentrations in males and females were 8.56 ± 2.39 µmol/l and 8.32 ± 2.50 µmol/l, there was no statistically significant difference in serum zinc concentration between males and females (p>0.05). Serum zinc concentration was lower in severe pneumonia (mean: 6.02 ± 2.04 µmol/l) compared with pneumonia (mean: 9.19 ± 2.03 µmol/l), the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Most children with severe zinc deficiency had severe pneumonia, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05).