title: Trace elements and vitamins at diagnosis in pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare serum vitamin and mineral levels at diagnosis in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) versus a control group without.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective cohort study, serum levels of iron, zinc, folate, selenium, vitamin B( 12), vitamin A, and vitamin E in children with IBD at diagnosis were compared with gender- and age-matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 154 patients with IBD (mean age 11.27 ± 3.74 years, 83 boys, 80 with Crohn's disease) were recruited. The mean duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis was 5.4 ± 3.2 months for patients with Crohn's disease and 4.6 ± 2.9 months for patients with ulcerative colitis. A control group of 64 children was recruited. The mean serum zinc levels were 11.33 ± 4.16 µmol/L for ulcerative colitis, 8.74 ± 2.08 µmol/L for Crohn's disease and 11.49 ± 1.63 µmol/L for controls (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In newly diagnosed children with IBD, serum zinc levels are significantly lower compared with children without IBD.
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Sheena K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sikora
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spady
authors.forename: Connie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prosser
authors.forename: Wael
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: El-Matary
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D005492:Folic Acid; D007501:Iron; D012643:Selenium; D015032:Zinc; D014805:Vitamin B 12