Systematic review and meta-analysis shows a specific micronutrient profile in people with Down Syndrome: Lower blood calcium, selenium and zinc, higher red blood cell copper and zinc, and higher salivary calcium and sodium

Abstract

Different metabolic profiles as well as comorbidities are common in people with Down Syndrome (DS). Therefore it is relevant to know whether micronutrient levels in people with DS are also different. This systematic review was designed to review the literature on micronutrient levels in people with DS compared to age and sex-matched controls without DS. We identified sixty nine studies from January 1967 to April 2016 through main electronic medical databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of knowledge. We carried out meta-analysis of the data on four essential trace elements (Cu, Fe, Se, and Zn), six minerals (Ca, Cl, K, Mg, Na, and P), and five vitamins (vitamin A, B9, B12, D, and E). People with DS showed lower blood levels of Ca (standard mean difference (SMD) = −0.63; 95% confidence interval (CI): −1.16 to −0.09), Se (SMD = -0.99; 95% CI: -1.55 to -0.43), and Zn (SMD = -1.30; 95% CI: -1.75 to -0.84), while red cell levels of Zn (SMD = 1.88; 95% CI: 0.48 to 3.28) and Cu (SMD = 2.77; 95% CI: 1.96 to 3.57) were higher. They had also higher salivary levels of Ca (SMD = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.38 to 1.33) and Na (SMD = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.39 to 1.69). Our findings that micronutrient levels are different in people with DS raise the question whether these differences are related to the different metabolic profiles, the common comorbidities or merely reflect DS.

High salt induced hypertension leads to cognitive defect

“…Sodium is an essential nutrient and the primary cation in the extracellular fluid [ 22 , 23 ]. Previous study has shown that rats with high salt diet has higher sodium levels in the interstitial space [ 21 ].…”

Dental aspects of children with Down syndrome

“…Open mouth with protrusion of the hypotonic and fi ssured tongue, macroglossia, hypoplastic upper jaw, short and hard palate, pseudoprogenic bite, delay eruption of the teeth [15], persistence of some deciduous tooth up to 15 years, the order of eruption of teeth is disturbed [16], hypodontia, microdontia, atypical form of dental crowns and taurodontism [17]. Also patients with Down syndrome can present periodontal disease, premature tooth loss, reduced salivary fl ow, crowding of teeth in both arches, and decreased occlusal vertical dimension.…”

Red blood cell metabolism in Down syndrome: hints on metabolic derangements in aging

“…14 Of note, T21 has been associated with RBC alterations, such as increased cell size (macrocytosis), 15 increased micronutrient levels (eg, copper and zinc), 16 altered adenine 17 and fatty acid/phospholipid levels, 18,19 as well as impaired redox homeostasis, especially with respect to superoxide dismutase (coded by a gene on chromosome 21, 21q22.1), glutathione peroxidase, and lipid peroxidation activity. 18,20 Of note, children with DS presented higher levels of plasma and RBC monounsaturated fatty acids and altered proportions of n-6 choline phosphoacylglycerol species in comparison with disomic siblings.…”