الفهرس 
List of abbreviationsOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 151 |  |  |
| | | from | 151 | | |
Abstract
Background: Acute diarrhea remains a leading cause of death among infants and young children in low income countries. Zinc deficiency is associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal infections, adverse effects on the structure and function of the gastrointestinal tract, and impaired immune function.
Aim of the work: Our aim of work is to determine the role of Zinc as a risk factor in the development of acute diarrhea in children.
Methods: Ninety children with acute diarrhea and eighty age-matched controls were enrolled. All of them were subjected to complete blood picture, stool analysis, serum Zinc level and serum electrolyte (for cases only).
Results: When comparing the mean serum zinc level among cases and controls there was no statistically significant difference found.
There was statistically significant difference between cases and controls as regards to hemoglobin level and TLC.
Stool analysis showed combined infection of ameba and oxyuris infections in 30%of cases in contrast to16.3%of controls .Also amebiasis was found in54.4%of our cases and 37.5% of the control group.
A significant association was found between mean serum zinc level and serum sodium level; high mean serum zinc level was noticed in patients with low serum sodium level. There was no correlation between mean serum zinc level and patient’s age, their anthropometric measures, frequency of diarrhea, and time of weaning, hemoglobin level, serum Na level and serum K.
Key Words: Zinc, Diarrhea, Dehydration, Children.