Zinc in sickle cell disease: A narrative review.

Carolinne Thaisa de Oliveira Fernandes Miranda, Karina Marques Vermeulen-Serpa, Ana Carolina Cabañas Pedro, José Brandão-Neto, Sancha Helena de Lima Vale, Maria Stella Figueiredo

Journal: Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS) 2022;72():126980

PMID: 35413496

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited disease caused by hemoglobin S mutated hemoglobin S. It is characterized by chronic hemolysis, intermittent vaso-occlusive crises followed by ischemia-reperfusion, and organ damage. These patients have an increased risk of multiple micronutrient deficiencies, such as zinc. The reduced zinc bioavailability in sickle cell patients may lead to several complications such as growth retardation, delayed wound healing, increased vaso-occlusive crises, and infections. This narrative review aims to analyze the literature concerning the zinc status in SCD and their possible consequences on the patients' clinical evolution. We found in children and adolescents a direct association between zinc insufficiencies/deficiencies with increased disease severity in SCD. Monitoring zinc status in children and adolescent SCD appears essential for reducing disease-associated morbidity and infections. Zinc supplementation is a safe therapeutic modality for treating SCD patients. New research must be carried out, especially for adults, to ensure more remarkable survival for this population.

Address: Postgraduate Medicine Program (Hematology/Oncology), Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].; Postgraduate Health Sciences Program, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].; Post-doctoral student Medicine Program (Hematology/Oncology), Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Internal Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].; Nutrition Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].; Division of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Department of Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo - UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2022.126980

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MeSH Terms: Adolescent, Adult, Anemia, Sickle Cell, Child, Hemoglobin, Sickle, Humans, Malnutrition, Severity of Illness Index, Zinc