Detection of serum zinc levels in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a common serious disease in neonatal period and is associated with neonatal complications and death. Patient and Methods: A prospective case-control study was done on 50 neonates who incubated in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Tanta University Hospital suffering from RDS (patient group) and 50 healthy neonates (control group). Estimation of serum zinc was prepared for all newborn in this study within the first 4 hours after delivery and proceeding to any nutrition or therapies. Results: Showed significant difference between the serum zinc levels in the all neonates in this study where the serum zinc levels in the RDS neonates (patient group) were significantly lower than the neonates who did not suffered from RDS (control group) (P=0.001) and showed that the more severity of the RDS the more decrease in the serum zinc levels (P=0.001). Conclusion: RDS neonates were associated with declined serum zinc levels but more researches with higher number of neonates are needed to establish and document these results. Recommendations: Zinc supplementation in RDS neonates