Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the zinc status of young infants with cystic fibrosis before and after the initiation of pancreatic enzyme therapy.
Study design: Cross-sectional data were obtained for infants with cystic fibrosis identified by newborn screening. Plasma zinc concentrations were measured and analyzed according to enzyme use at the time of the blood draw. On a subgroup of infants, zinc concentrations were determined again after several weeks with enzyme therapy.
Results: Mean (+/-SD) plasma zinc concentration for the infants studied before the initiation of enzyme therapy was 10.4 +/- 2.2 micromol/L (68.3 +/- 14.7 microgram/dL) (n = 48), which was significantly lower than the mean for those receiving enzymes for >/=2 weeks, 11.8 +/- 2. 3 micromol/L (77.1 +/- 14.9 microgram/dL) (n = 15) (P =.03). For the group not yet receiving enzymes, 29% of infants had zinc concentrations in the deficient range. Data were available before and after enzyme therapy for 30 infants and indicated a mean increase of 1.64 +/- 3.0 micromol/L (10.7 +/- 19.3 microgram/dL) (P =. 005).
Conclusions: These data suggest that many of the infants were zinc deficient at the time of diagnosis. We conclude that zinc should be included among the specific micronutrients given consideration in the management of cystic fibrosis, particularly in infants.