DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2021.v09i01.018

Pages: 92-96

Background: Tuberculosis which is a severe bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, compromises the immune system. Inadequate intake of micronutrients alters the immune response of the host predisposing to infection. Zinc plays vital role in the immune status. So serum zinc concentration in patients with tuberculous lymphadenitis is a very potential thing in treating the respective patients. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum zinc concentrations in patients with tuberculous lymphadenitis. Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Internal Medicine of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, during the period from January 2016 to March 2017. The study included 25 freshly diagnosed tuberculous lymphadenitis patients as case and 25 tuberculosis negative normal healthy subjects as control as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. Serum zinc concentrations were estimated by using atomic absorption spectrophotometry before initiating antituberculosis chemotherapy. Result: In analyzing serum zinc level of the study patients, it was observed that, 17 (68.0%) patients had <70 μg/dl (low) in Case Group and 10 (40.0%) in Control Group. The mean serum zinc was 66.3±14.2 μg/dl in Case Group and 74.9.0±13.8 μg/dl in Control Group. The difference was statistically significant (p<0.05) between two Groups. Conclusion: This study indicates that tuberculous lymphadenitis patients have lower level of serum zinc concentrations. This demands the need for further investigations so that strategies for zinc supplementation can be planned in monitoring responses to antituberculous chemotherapy in addition to its potential as diagnostic parameter.