A double-blind, pair-matched 12-mo study examined the effects of a zinc supplement (10 mg Zn/d as ZnSO4) on linear growth, taste acuity, attention span, biochemical indices, and energy intakes of 60 boys (aged 5-7 y) with height less than or equal to 15th and midparent height greater than 25th percentiles. Boys with initial hair Zn less than 1.68 mumol/g (n = 16) had a lower mean (+/- SD) weight-for-age Z score (-0.44 +/- 0.59 vs -0.08 +/- 0.84), and a higher median recognition threshold for salt (15 vs 7.5 mmol; p = 0.02) than those with hair Zn greater than 1.68 mumol/g. Only boys with hair Zn less than 1.68 mumol/g responded to the Zn supplement with a higher mean change in height-for-age Z score (p less than 0.05); taste acuity, energy intakes, and attention span were unaffected. A growth-limiting Zn deficiency syndrome exists in boys with low height percentiles, hair Zn levels less than 1.68 mumol/g, and impaired taste acuity.

The aim of this study was to document the clinical and secondary care cost benefit of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) over a five‐year period in the Leeds Paediatric Diabetes Service. Patients with type 1 diabetes treated using CSII therapy since 2002 who attended the paediatric diabetes clinics in Leeds, UK, were eligible for inclusion. Information on glycaemic control (HbA1c) and frequency/type of hospital admission was collected during the 12‐month period before CSII was initiated and compared prospectively after the transition to pump therapy. Multi‐level regression modelling was used to assess the change in HbA1c levels and the effect of patient characteristics. Data were included on 84 individuals ranging in age from 0 to 18 years, 54% of whom were female. Mean (SD) HbA1c levels improved from a baseline of 9.4 ± 1.7% to 8.9 ± 1.5%, with a significant overall reduction of 0.53% within the first year (95% CI 0.29‐0.78%). The improvement in HbA1c levels was sustained for up to five years after CSII therapy commenced. Regression modelling showed that age, sex and duration of diabetes were not significantly associated with change in HbA1c levels. Hospital admission rates fell for severe hypoglycaemia from 8.9 to 2.4 per 100 patient years although hyperglycaemia admissions remained largely the same (7.6 vs 7.3 on CSII per 100 patient years). We concluded that patients treated using CSII appear to exhibit both improved glycaemic control, which is sustained over the short/medium term, and lower hospital admission rates for hypoglycaemia. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons.

The objective of this prospective, cohort study was to compare the nutritional status of full-term infants who were fed human milk (BF, n = 29), formula (FF, n = 30) or evaporated milk formulae (EM, n = 30) for at least 3 months. Infants were seen at enrollment, 3 and 6 months, at which times a blood sample, diet record and anthropometric data were collected. Infants in the EM group received solids earlier (12 +/- 5 weeks) than did FF infants (15 +/- 4 weeks), and both were earlier than BF infants (19 +/- 4 weeks). Only 26% of the EM fed group received iron supplements as ferrous sulphate drops. Seven BF, 12 FF and 20 EM had abnormal ferritin values (< 10 ng ml-1) at 6 months. Copper intake was lower in the EM infants at 3 and 6 months. However, plasma copper and erythrocyte copper zinc superoxide dismutase (ZnCuSOD) levels did not differ between groups. Selenium intake was lower in the EM group (5 +/- 1 and 10 +/- 5 micrograms d-1; 3 and 6 months) than in the FF infants (13 +/- 4 and 19 +/- 7 micrograms d-1; 3 and 6 months). Erythrocyte SeGHSPx levels in EM infants were lower at 6 months (EM, 33.2 +/- 3.4; FF. 35.2 +/- 3.9: BF, 36.1 +/- 3.8 mU mg Hb-1). Thiamin intake (0.99 +/- 0.08 and 1.24 +/- 0.32; 3 and 6 months, mg 1000 kcal-1) was higher in the FF group than in EM infants (0.38 +/- 0.39 and 0.66 +/- 0.38; 3 and 6 months). There were more (13%) abnormal thiamin assays in the EM group at 6 months than in the BF and FF infants (0%). In conclusion, infants fed evaporated milk formula receive adequate copper but may not receive enough thiamin or selenium. Unless supplemented from birth with medicinal iron, intakes of iron will be inadequate.

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The zinc, copper, and selenium status of 90 noninstitutionalized Canadian elderly women (M age = 70.3 years) in a university community and consuming self-selected diets was assessed using hair and serum trace element levels and dietary trace element intakes. Mean (+/- SD) serum zinc and copper levels (analyzed via atomic absorption spectrophotometry, AA) were 1.09 +/- 0.13 and 1.22 +/- 0.29 micrograms/ml, respectively. Mean serum selenium (+/- SD) (analyzed via instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was 0.115 +/- 0.03 micrograms/ml. Median hair trace element values, analyzed via INAA, were 156 for zinc, 12.8 for copper, and 0.63 micrograms/g for selenium. Mean (+/- SD) daily dietary intakes determined via chemical analysis of 1-day diet duplicates were 1.2 +/- .06 mg/d for copper (via AA), 7.6 +/- 3.3 mg/d and 77.6 +/- 44.5 micrograms/d for zinc and selenium (via INAA), respectively, whereas mean copper and zinc intakes (+/- SD) calculated from 3-day records were 1.6 +/- 0.7 and 10.1 +/- 3.5 mg/day, respectively. Median hair and serum trace element values were above the levels associated with deficiencies. Thus the zinc, copper and selenium status of these elderly women appeared adequate.

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