Impact of zinc on sexual maturation of female sickle cell anemia (SCA) children in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

Adolescence is an important developmental period of childhood. Good health and adequate nutrition consisting major food constituents and trace elements like zinc are fundamental for optimal sexual maturation. To determine the relationship between zinc levels and pattern of breast and pubic hair development, as well as menarcheal age of female SCA children aged 6-18 years and their matched controls with hemoglobin genotype AA. Cross sectional, case-control study. Information on biodata, age at menarche, medical and drug history as well as 24-hour dietary recall was documented using interviewer administered questionnaire. Sexual maturation was assessed using Tanner staging and zinc levels determined using Atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Eighty-one subjects were compared with 81 controls. There was significant delay in the mean age of attainment of various Tanner stages of breast and pubic hair in the subjects. Mean age of 14.81 ± 1.07 years at menarche in subjects was significantly higher than 12.62 ± 1.18 years in controls (p = 0.001). Serum zinc of 58.01 ± 10.58 µg/dl in subjects was significantly lower than 68.37 ± 8.67 µg/dl in controls (p = 0.001). Serum zinc levels were found to have a significant positive relationship with stages of sexual maturation and mean age at menarche. Reduced serum zinc in children with SCA was associated with delayed sexual maturation.

Assessment of Salivary Zink Level and its impact on Periodontal Health among Children and Adolescence with Sickle Cell Anemia

“…Saliva contains many constituents that are regularly measured in the blood to monitor health and disease, so can be considered as a mirror of the body's health (5). While many researches investigate serum zinc' level (6)(7)(8)(9)(10); there is no reported study to assess salivary zinc level among SCA children. Best of our knowledge this study is rst to assess salivary zinc level among SCA children and its impact on oral health.…”

“…Signi cant effects of zinc de ciency include growth retardation, increased oxidative stress, and increased generation of in ammatory cytokines (6). Zinc has been considered an e cient antioxidant agent among humans (9,10). Zink inhibits lipid peroxidation activity on red blood cells and protects against oxidative stress, and subsequently drops of incidence of vasocclusive and painful crisis (11)(12)(13).…”

In utero and peripubertal metals exposure in relation to reproductive hormones and sexual maturation and progression among boys in Mexico City

“…One of the main observations in this study is that Zn is associated with higher odds of pubic hair and testicular volume stage at the early-teen follow-up, but a slower progression of puberty from the early-teen to late-teen visit. Few cross-sectional studies on boys and girls also reported a significant positive relationship between serum or plasma zinc concentrations and stages of sexual maturation [101][102][103][104], as well as reproductive hormones (testosterone). Zn is an essential trace metal and is fundamental for the development of the male reproductive system [105,106].…”

In Utero and Peripubertal Metals Exposure in Relation to Reproductive Hormones and Sexual Maturation and Progression among Boys in Mexico City

“…One of the main observations in this study is that Zn is associated with higher odds of pubic hair and testicular volume stage at the early-teen follow-up, but a slower progression of puberty from the early-teen to late-teen visit. Few cross-sectional studies on boys and girls also reported a signi cant positive relationship between serum or plasma zinc levels and stages of sexual maturation (Leonard et al 1998;Onukwuli et al 2018;Vivoli et al 1990;Wagner et al 1985), as well as reproductive hormones 2016; Underwood and Somers 1969). However, we did not observe a signi cant association between serum Zn and testosterone levels.…”