ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the zinc deficiency occurs in sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients is presented, and also the effects of zinc supplementation on clinical, biochemical, and immunological parameters in the patients. Certain dietary components have now been shown to alter immune single system outcome beyond the level of preventing or correcting a deficiency. Certain clinical features are common to some SCA patients and zinc-deficient subjects, the latter reported from the Middle East Prasad et al 1975. Zinc administration also resulted in an increase in plasma urea nitrogen concentration in SCA patients, and this effect was reversed following discontinuation of zinc therapy. Infection is the most common cause of death in children with SCA according to some investigators. In one study, it was noted that the risk of bacterial infection reduced markedly after age 3, and proven pneumococcal infection was not seen unless the children experienced previous pneumococcal infection.
