Investigating the Effect of Zinc Deficiency on the Risk of Urinary Tract Infection in Children

Background Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is a common infectious disease among children. Deficiency in micronutrients such as zinc, is believed to play a role in predisposing children to UTI. However, rare studies have been conducted on this subject. The present study aimedto compare the serum zinc level between children with UTI and normal controls. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, which was conducted on children with UTI who referred to 17th Shahrivar and 22th Bahman hospitals, Mashhad- Iran, during 2016-2017, patients suspicious of UTI were assessed by urine culture. The urine sample of the patients who were not toilet-trained was collected using urinary bags, and those who were toilet trained were asked to collect the clean catch mid-stream urine. Demographic data, urinary symptoms, type of cultured microorganism, and colony count were recorded. Data were analyzed using SPSS V. 20.0. Results: Overall, 104 children (52 cases and 52 controls) were included. The groups had significant differences regarding sex, age, and weight (p <0.05). Serum zinc level was 60.0± 17.1 µg/dl in the case group and 83.0±15.7 µg/dl in the control group (P=0.001). After being adjusted for demographic factors, the zinc deficiency proved to be a significant predictor of UTI (OR= 8.633, 95% confidence interval=3.084-24.171, p <0.001). Conclusion According to the results of our study, serum zinc level was markedly lower among patients with UTI. Zinc deficiency can put the children at an eight times higher risk for developing UTI, independent of age and gender.