AIM: 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 micromol/L for ulcerative colitis, 8.74 +/- 2.08 micromol/L for Crohn's disease and 11.49 +/- 1.63 micromol/L for controls (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In newly diagnosed children with IBD, serum zinc levels are significantly lower compared with children without IBD.
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