Features of Clinical Course of Chronic Gastroduodenitis, Morphological Changes and Gastroprotection State in Children with Zinc Deficiency

Abstract

Introduction. One of the urgent problems of modern pediatrics are diseases of the digestive tract. Over the past years there was proved negative role of zinc deficiency in the formation of digestive diseases. Objective of the study — to explore the features of clinical course of chronic gastroduodenitis and gastroprotection state in zinc deficiency in children’s organisms to justify the treatment and rehabilitation measures. Materials and Methods. According to the protocol of diagnosis and treatment of digestive diseases in children, we examined 189 children aged 6 to 17 years with a diagnosis of chronic gastroduodenitis during exacerbation. A study of zinc level in hair has been carried out by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, the zinc content in the blood serum of 72 children — by spectral atomic absorption method. Evaluation of cytoprotective properties of gastric mucosal barrier was carried out by determining the level of fucose in gastric mucin of 44 patients. Results. Depending on the level of zinc in the hair, children with gastroduodenitis were divided into 2 groups: I group (study one) — 86 children with chronic gastroduodenitis who had zinc deficiency in hair, II group — 100 children with chronic gastroduodenitis with normal zinc content in hair. In the study group syndrome of chronic nonspecific intoxication was significantly more common (86.1 %) than in those of the comparison group (70.0 %, p < 0.05). According to the results of morphological study of the gastric mucosa and duodenum in children with low zinc content in hair and chronic gastroduodenitis, chronic atrophic gastritis (44.4 %) and chronic atrophic gastroduodenitis (44.4 %) were more prevalent than in children with normal content of this microelement (11.8 and 11.8 %, respectively, p < 0.05). In children with reduced zinc content we observed a significantly greater decrease in the concentration of fucose in gastric mucin (2.68 ± 0.17 mmol/l) compared with patients with normal content if this microelement (3.56 ± 0.15 mmol/l, p < 0.05). Conclusions. These findings point to the possibility of improving the treatment of children with chronic gastroduodenitis, considering the exchange of zinc.

Keywords

• zinc
• children
• gastrointestinal pathology