The Journal of

Introduction:In patients with phenylketonuria protein rich-foods are restricted. Milk, dairy products, meat and fish are replaced by phenylalanine-free (phe-free) metabolic formula. Therefore patients with phenylketonuria may be at risk for protein deficiency and zinc deficiency. Aim of this study was to assess Plasma zinc status, and zinc intake in Patients with phenylketonuria Undergoing Therapy metabolic formula compared to healthy control.

Methods: This study was case-control. 29 Patients with phenylketonuria and 29 healthy as control group took part in this study aged 0.5–42 years in Yazd and Bushehr provinces. Dietary intake data were collected by the 3-day food-record questionnaire. Plasma zinc levels were determinedby flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant statistically.

Results: Median Plasma zinc levels in the case group and the control group was 5.86 and 8.34 µmol/L (p=0/11).  Median Plasma zinc level was less than the normal range in two groups. Zinc intake in the case group was more than the control group significantly (p<0.001). Frequency of zinc deficiency was 82.8% in case group and 86.2% in control group. There was no significant difference about Frequency of zinc deficiency between control and case group (p=1).

Conclusion: Despite of zinc intake in the case group was more than the control group significantly but Plasma zinc levels was not different in the case group and the control group significantly. Frequency of zinc deficiency was observed high rate in the case and the control group.