Abstract

Objective: To estimate serum zinc level among patients and a normal healthy control group, and to find out if it's related to the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD) or not.
Methodology: A total of 108 patients participated in this study; 54 of them had AD, and the remaining were healthy control individuals. The patients with QAD were consulting Al-Sader Teaching Hospital and two private dermatology clinics. All were interviewed, and a detailed history and clinical examination were done. Serum zinc levels were estimated from all study samples at the same laboratory.
Results: Serum zinc was found to be lower in patients with AD (63.44±23.60 µg/dl) in comparison to the control group (96.93±20.33 µg/dl). Most patients (85.1%) with AD had moderate to severe AD. The serum level was correlated with the severity of the disease.
Conclusion: Serum zinc levels were significantly lower in AD patients and showed a strong correlation with disease severity, being lower in those with moderate to severe forms. Regular intake of zinc-rich foods with fewer chelating agents is linked to less frequent and milder AD.

Key words: Serum zinc, severity, atopic dermatitis.