AbstractBackground and Objectives: Acute respiratory tract infections are a prominent cause of mortality and morbidity in children residing in poor countries. This inquiry focuses on the serum levels of zinc in patients with acute lower respiratory tract infections. This is linked to the severity of acute lower respiratory tract infection, the need for intravenous antibiotics, and the pattern of recovery.
Material and Methods: This study is a case-control inquiry conducted at the Department of Paediatrics, RVS Institute of Medical Science, Chittore, Andhra Pradesh, India. The study was conducted from October 2018 to September 2019. The study's sample included 70 cases of Acute lower respiratory tract infection, as well as 70 children who were selected as controls based on their matching sex, age, and nutritional condition.
Results: An extended duration of hospitalization was linked to a decrease in the average concentration of zinc in the blood. The mean zinc concentration declined within the range of typical zinc levels in children who were hospitalized for a duration of less than 7 days. Furthermore, there was a greater occurrence of zinc insufficiency detected when comparing patients to controls. A higher percentage of children with bronchiolitis showed a normal zinc level. A greater percentage of children with pneumonia, namely lobar pneumonia, displayed a zinc deficit. Furthermore, a higher percentage of children with severe acute lower respiratory tract infections demonstrated zinc insufficiency in comparison to those with mild and moderate acute lower respiratory tract infections.
Conclusion: Severe acute lower respiratory tract infections exhibited a significant reduction in serum zinc levels when compared to mild and moderate acute lower respiratory tract infections. In addition, it was noted that children who needed to stay in the hospital for a longer period of time had lower amounts of zinc in their blood.