Previous fracture, low albumin levels predispose to zinc deficiency

As many as 26 percent of individuals in an outpatient clinic are zinc-deficient, which is more likely to be found among individuals with fracture history and low serum albumin, according to a study.

The study included 157 patients aged ≥50 years with a stable health status, among whom 41 (26 percent) were zinc-deficient (case; serum zinc concentration, <0.66 µg/mL) and 116 (74 percent) had normal zinc levels (control; serum zinc concentration, ≥0.66 µg/mL).

All participants underwent assessments for nutritional biomarkers (ie, magnesium, calcium, albumin, and total 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels), history of fractures, and events such as hospitalization, antibiotic use, and self-reported falls that occurred within 1 year prior to serum zinc measurements. None of the patients had severe renal insufficiency (three patients with serum creatinine concentration >2.5 mg/dL) or serum zinc concentration >1.20 µg/mL.

Mean zinc concentrations of the case and control groups were 0.58 and 0.803 µg/mL, respectively (p<0.01). Compared with controls, zinc-deficient participants tended to have had a history of hospitalization, antibiotic use, a fall within 1 year before the index date, and a history of fractures and hip fracture (p<0.01 for all).

Furthermore, individuals receiving gastric acid suppressants were more likely to have lower zinc concentrations (odds ratio, 2.24, 95 percent confidence interval, 1.08–4.63).

Both logistic and multivariate linear regression models showed that previous fractures, hip fractures, and hypoalbuminemia (albumin <3.5 g/dL) were associated with greater odds of having zinc deficiency or lower zinc concentrations.