Role of Zinc in Patients with Nephrotic Syndrome

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