Background & Aims: Type one diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune disorder characterized by very low or absent of internal insulin. In the process of insulin secretion from pancreas, several micronutrients have role and zinc is the most important of them. Some recent studies have shown that serum zinc level is low in diabetic patients because of diuresis. This study aimed to evaluate the serum zinc level of diabetic children six months after insulin therapy.

Materials & Methods: In a case control study, serum zinc level of 50 children with type one diabetes mellitus and history of at least six months insulin therapy, compared with 50 non diabetic healthy children.

Results: Serum zinc levels were 104.21±19.27 and 105.32±11.47 μg/dl in diabetic and non diabetic children consecutively (P= 0.72). There was not any significant correlation between hemoglobin A₁C and serum zinc level (P=0.23).

Conclusion: Results of this study shows that serum zinc level in diabetic children is similar to those of non diabetics if they receive proper insulin therapy.

SOURCE: URMIA MED J 2013: 24(2): 109 ISSN: 1027-3727