Zinc Deficiency During Total Parenteral Nutrition in Childhood

The study examined plasma zinc levels in 11 pediatric surgical patients undergoing total parenteral nutrition (TPN). It found that long-term TPN led to zinc deficiency in 3 patients, resulting in symptoms like dermatitis, alopecia, and enterocolitis, which improved with intravenous zinc therapy. In contrast, patients on short-term TPN maintained normal zinc levels. The findings suggested that zinc deficiency during TPN might be due to insufficient zinc in nutritional solutions, particularly for older children, and that zinc demand increases during the anabolic phase. The study recommended including adequate zinc in all parenteral nutritional solutions to support growth and tissue repair.