Comparison of Serum Zinc and Copper levels in Children and adolescents with Intractable and Controlled Epilepsy

How to Cite This Article: Kheradmand Z, Yarali B, Zare A, Pourpak Z, Shams S, Ashrafi MR. Comparison of Serum Zinc and Copper levels in Children and adolescents with Intractable and Controlled Epilepsy. Iran J Child Neurol. 2014; 8(3):49-54. AbstractObjectiveTrace elements such as zinc and copper have physiological effects on neuronal excitability that may play a role in the etiology of intractable epilepsy. This topic has been rarely discussed in Iranian epileptic patients.This study with the analysis of serum zinc and copper levels of children and adolescents with intractable and controlled epilepsy may identifies the potential role of these two trace elements in the development of epilepsy and intractabilityto antiepileptic drug treatment. Materials & MethodsSeventy patients between the ages of 6 months to 15 years that referred to Children’s Medical Center with the diagnosis of epilepsy, either controlled or intractable to treatment enrolled in the study. After informed parental consent the levels of serum zinc and copper were measured with atomic absorptionspectrophotometer and analyzed with SPSS version 11.Results35 patients were enrolled in each group of intractable (IE) and controlled epilepsy (CE). 71.45% of the IE and 25.72% of the CE group had zinc deficiency that was statistically significant. 48.58% of the IE and 45.72 of the CE group were copper deficient, which was not statistically significant.ConclusionOur findings showed significant low serum zinc levels of patients with intractable epilepsy in comparison with controlled epilepsy group. We recommend that serum zinc level may play a role in the etiology of epilepsy and intractable epilepsy therefore its measurement and prescription may be regarded in the treatment of intractable epilepsy.ReferencesMikati MA. Seizures in childhood. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, Schor NF, Geme JWS, Behrman R (eds). Nelson textbook of pediatrics. 19th ed. Elsevier:Saunders; 2011. Pp.2013-2033.Kwan P, Brodie MJ. Early identification of refractory epilepsy. N Engl J Med 2000;342: 314-9.Patrick Kwan, Alexis Arzimanoglou, Anne T. Berg, et al.  Definition of drug resistant epilepsy: Consensus proposal by the ad hoc Task Force of the ILAE Commission on Therapeutic Strategies. Epilepsia 2010;51(6):1069-1077.Berg AT, Shinnar S, Levy SR, Testa F, Smith-Rapaport S, Beckerman B. Early development of intractableepilepsy in children: a prospective study. Neurology 2001;56:1445-1452.Haoa XT, Wong ISM, Kwan P. Interrater reliability of the international consensus definition of drug-resistant epilepsy: A pilot study. Epilepsy & Behavior 2011;22;388-390. Ashrafi MR, Mohseni M, Shams S, Shabanian R, Yekaninejad MS, et al. A Probable Causative Factor for an Old Problem: Selenium and Glutathione Peroxidase Appear to Play Important Roles in Epilepsy pathogenesis. Epilepsia 2007;48(9):1750-1755.Liochev SI, Fridovich, I. Copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase can act as a superoxide reductase and a superoxide oxidase. J Biol Chem 2000; 275: 38482-38485.Jacob RA. Trace Elements in textbook of Clinical Chemistry. WB Saunders, 1986. pp. 965-985.Salwen MJ. Vitamis and Trace Elements. In: Pherson RA, Pincus MR (eds). Henry’s Clinical Diagnosis and Management By Laboratory Methods Tweny-First Edition. Saunders; 2007. Pp. 379-389.Rokgauerj M, Klein J Kruse-Jarres J. D. Reference Values for the Trace Elements Copper, Manganese, Selenium, and Zinc in the Serum/ Plasma of Children, Adolescents, and Adults. J Trace Element Med Biol. 1997;11: 92-98.Volpe SL, Schall JI, Gallagher PR, Stallings VA, Bergqvist AGC. Nutrient intake of children with intractable epilepsy compared with healthy children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2007;107(6):1014-8. Epub 2007/05/26.Wojciak RW, Mojs E, Stanislawska-Kubiak M, Samborski W. The serum zinc, copper, iron, and chromium concentrations in epileptic children. Epilepsy Research 2013;104:40-44.Hamed SA, Abdellah MM, El-Melegy N. Blood levels of trace elements, electrolytes, and oxidative stress/antioxidant systems in epileptic patients. J Pharmacol Sci 2004;96:465-473.Dudek FE. Zinc and epileptogenesis. Epilepsy Curr 2001; 1:66-70.Mathie A, Sutton GL, Clarke CE, Veale EL. Zinc and copper: pharmacological probes and endogenous  modulators of neuronal excitability. Pharmacol Ther. 2006;111(3):567-83. Epub 2006/01/18.Schrauzer GN. Selenomethionine and Selenium Yeast: Appropriate Forms of Selenium for Use in Infant Formulas and Nutritional Supplements. Journal of medicinal food 1998;1(3):201-6.Seven M, Basaran SY, Cengiz M, Unal S. Deficiency of selenium and zinc as a causative factor For idiopathic intractable epilepsy. Epilepsy Research 2013;104 :35-39

Specific IgE to propolis extracts among pollen allergic patients

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Mast cell density in gastric biopsies of pediatric age group and its relation to inflammation and presence of Helicobacter pylori

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mast cell density, histological severity of gastritis, and presence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in the antral mucosa of pediatric patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study included 352 (192 male and 160 female, < 14 years old) patients. All cases underwent endoscopy, and biopsies were obtained for histopathological examination and evaluation of Helicobacter pylori. All biopsies were evaluated according to the Sydney system and mast cell density in the antral mucosa was analyzed by Giemsa stain. Spearman's correlation test was used to determine the relationship between mast cell density and other histopathological parameters. The comparison of mast cell density between H. pylori positive and negative groups was analyzed by Mann Whitney U test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mast cell density was 12.6 ± 0.87 in 0.25 mm²(0–81). Means of severity of gastric inflammation in H. pylori-positive and negative patients were 1.7 ± 0.6 and 0.6 ± 0.7, respectively, which was statistically significant (p = 0.0001). Mast cell density was not correlated with presence and degree of inflammation, activity, presence and score of H. pylori in the antrum (p > 0.05). There was no significant correlation between mast cell density and allergy.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>We concluded that there may be some other ways for contribution of mast cells in pathologic processes involving gastrointestinal tract in children.</p

Conjugated Alpha-Alumina nanoparticle with vasoactive intestinal peptide as a Nano-drug in treatment of allergic asthma in mice

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by airway inflammation, bronchoconstriction, airway hyperresponsiveness and recurring attacks of impaired breathing. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has been proposed as a novel anti-asthma drug due to its effects on airway smooth muscle relaxation, bronchodilation and vasodilation along with its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. In the current study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of VIP when conjugated with α-alumina nanoparticle (α-AN) to prevent enzymatic degradation of VIP in the respiratory tract. VIP was conjugated with α-AN. Balb/c mice were sensitized and challenges with ovalbumin (OVA) or PBS and were divided in four groups; VIP-treated, α-AN-treated, α-AN-VIP-treated and beclomethasone-treated as a positive control group. Specific and total IgE level, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), bronchial cytokine expression and lung histology were measured. α-AN-VIP significantly reduced the number of eosinophils (Eos), serum IgE level, Th2 cytokines and AHR. These effects of α-AN-VIP were more pronounced than that seen with beclomethasone or VIP alone (P<0.05). The current data indicate that α-AN-VIP can be considered as an effective nano-drug for the treatment of asthma