CONTRIBUTION OF,ZINC AND VITAMIN A ON NATURAL KILLER CELL ACTIVITY IN CHILDREN WITH PROTEIN - ENERGY MALNUTRITION

Abstract

Since, clinical malnutrition is always complicated by deficiencies of one or more vitamins and trace elements and either of them have been reported to have a relation to i1m1mne system. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were t6 determine serum vitamin A and zinc levels in children with PEM and in normal • children and to relate the effect of recorded levels on natural killer cells and cell mediated inmmnity as well as anthropometric measurements and clinical features. Our study involved 70 children. They comprised 50 children aged from 6 months to 3 years old with protein - energy malnutrition an20 healthy children with the same age. The patient group comprised 22 males and 28 females and . control group comprised 10 males and 10 females. According to clinical features, patients were classified into marasmic group and kwashiorkor group. The age of marasmic group ranged from 6m - 18m. and the age of kwo ranged from 9 m - 3 years old, the later group was further subdivided into 2 subgroups according to age. The results obtained were compared to age matched normal control. The patient group and control group were subjected to the following investigations : Diet history - Clinica! examination " Some anthropometric measurements - Laboratory investigation including complete blood picture, monoclonal antibodies (CD3 & CD16), serum vitamin A and serum zinc.