Role of Zinc in patients with Nephrotic syndrome

Nephrotic syndrome(NS) is one of the most common cause of chronic morbidity in developing countries. This study is aimed to assess the effect of zinc supplementation in patients with NS and to evaluate its association with serum albumin level, relapse rate and infection frequency.
In this randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial study, 60 patients with NS, both with the first episode and first relapse, age between 2-10 years were included. Among the 60 patients, 30 patients of NS getting zinc were in zinc group and 30 patients of nephrotic syndrome getting placebo were in placebo group. Zinc status was assessed before and after giving zinc or placebo.
Results; Serum zinc level has been found significantly lower during relapse (0.54±0.18 and 0.56±0.22), it has increased during remission, which is (0.85±0.42) normal in zinc group and remained low (0.69±0.14) in placebo group. The mean serum albumin level during relapse were low in both groups,14 days later it was increased but still low. The difference of mean percentage of increase of height after 6 months was not statistically significant (3.3±1.2 % vs. 3.3±1.9 %) in two groups.19 patients (63.3%) in zinc group developed relapse compared to 15 patients (50%) in placebo group, the difference was not statistically significant. Infection had occurred 73.3% after zinc supplementation as compared with 63.3% in placebo group.
When zinc was given in RDA for short duration doesn’t reduce relapse in NS and doesn’t significant increase zinc level compared to placebo.