Serum zinc levels in newborns with neural tube defects
Golalipour, M.Jafar.; Mansourian, A.Reza.; Keshtkar, A.
Indian Pediatrics 43(9): 809-812
2006
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 17033120 Document Number: 603172
Neural tube defects (NTD) comprise of a group of congenital malformations that include spina bifida, anencephaly and encephalocoele. Reports have implicated zinc deficiency as one of the causative factors of NTDs. We compared the serum zinc level of 23 newborns having neural tube defects with 35 healthy controls by spectrophotometry during 2003-2004. The study was conducted at the Dezyani Hospital, Gorgan, Iran. Zinc deficiency was documented in 43.5% of the cases and 8.6% of the controls (P=0.002). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between the presence of NTDs and zinc deficiency (OR=8.2, 95% Cl: 1.9-34.7).