BIOCHEMICAL STUDY OF SERUM VITAMIN (A) ZINC AND FREE FATTY ACIDS IN ACUTE INFANTILE DIARRHEA

Abstract

Diarrheal diseases are known to be common in infancy due to their inability to mobilize defence mechanisms quickly, relative deficiency of immunoglobulins and immunologic memory, and deficiency in specific defence mechanisms in gastrointestinal system as immunoglobulin A, gastric acidity and peristalsis.

The present study aimed at studying of the effect of infantile diarrhea on the blood level of vitamin A, zinc and free fatty acids to clarify the biochemical correlation between them and the progress of the diarrhea. For this purpose 30 patients with acute infantile diarrhea were taken from Pediatric Department of Tanta University Hospital. Their ages ranged between 6-24 months and the duration of diarrhea ranged between 7-IO days. Complete history taking and physical examination were done for all patients. 15 normal infants were taken as a control group. All patients and controls were subjected to routine investigations, determination of serum vitamin A, zinc and free fatty acids.

Serum vitamin A showed a significant decrease in infants with acute diarrhea as compared to the controls.