title: Pediatric reference values for serum zinc concentration in Iranian subjects and an assessment of their dietary zinc intakes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine pediatric reference values for serum zinc concentration in Iranian subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum zinc concentration was measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry in 699 children and adolescents. Reference values for serum zinc were determined according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute/International Federation of Clinical Chemistry guidelines. Dietary zinc intake was assessed using a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall 95% reference values for serum zinc concentrations were 9.7-31.5, 9.2-30.9, and 9.3-31.1 μmol/L in boys, girls, and total population respectively. Serum zinc concentrations were comparable in boys and girls (17.5 ± 5.3 μmol/L vs. 17.2 ± 5.6 μmol/L, p=0.242). The dietary zinc intake of 7.6% (4.9% boys and 10.2% girls, p<0.01) was lower than the estimated average requirement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study presents pediatric reference values for serum zinc concentrations, values that could help diagnose and manage zinc deficiency in pediatrics.
authors: Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Asghar
authors: A
authors: Ghasemi
authors: Saleh
authors: S
authors: Zahediasl
authors: Firoozeh
authors: F
authors: Hosseini-Esfahani
authors: Leila
authors: L
authors: Syedmoradi
authors: Fereidoun
authors: F
authors: Azizi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency; D012016:Reference Values; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D015032:Zinc