Zinc Supplementation Effect on Linear Growth in Transfusion Dependent β Thalassemia

Objective: Thalassemic patients are at risk of zinc deficiency due to various causes including desferal injection, hyperzincuria, high ferritin levels, and hepatic iron overload. We evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on linear growth of beta-thalassemia patients. Methods: one-hundred beta-thalassemic major patients whose heights were within 3rd to l0th percentile were randomly divided into two groups, each group consist of 50 patients: Group I received oral zinc (60 mg per day) and Group II served as control group without zinc supplement. Patients were followed for 18 months and we control height. Data was analyzed by SPSS 11.5 software by nonparametric and T test. Results: The mean age and height of the patients in Group I were 8.14±1.30 year and 120.83 ±6.41cm, and in Group II, 8.27±1.14 year and 121.85 ±6.18cm, respectively. Eighteen months later the mean height was 125.14±6.17 cm in Group I and 126.1±6.07 cm in Group II (P = 0.464). No statistically significant difference in height was noted between the two groups after a period of eighteen months (P=0.464). Conclusion: The results of the research revealed that whereas the role of zinc has been proved in the growth process. It is concluded that oral zinc sulfate has no significant effect on linear growth of beta-thalassemia patients.