由于营养不良,锌缺乏症常见于发展中地区,而在发达地区锌缺乏症则与老化和许多慢性疾病相关。
多数锌缺乏症病例由以下因素共同引起:
在发达国家,人们认为锌缺乏症仅在其他危险疾病患者中发生。包括罹患以下疾病的患者:吸收不良综合征、慢性肠胃病[1]Singhal N, Alam S, Sherwani R, et al. Serum zinc levels in celiac disease. Indian Pediatr. 2008;45:319-321.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18451454?tool=bestpractice.com[2]Jameson S. Coeliac disease, insulin-like growth factor, bone mineral density, and zinc. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2000;35:894-896.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10994632?tool=bestpractice.com[3]Altuntas B, Filik B, Ensari A, et al. Can zinc deficiency be used as a marker for the diagnosis of celiac disease in Turkish children with short stature? Pediatr Int. 2000;42:682-684.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11192528?tool=bestpractice.com[4]Goh J, O'Morain CA. Review article: nutrition and adult inflammatory bowel disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2003;17:307-320.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2036.2003.01482.x/fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12562443?tool=bestpractice.com[5]Ojuawo A, Keith L. The serum concentrations of zinc, copper and selenium in children with inflammatory bowel disease. Cent Afr J Med. 2002;48:116-119.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14562534?tool=bestpractice.com、肝病、[6]Narkewicz MR, Krebs N, Karrer F, et al. Correction of hypozincemia following liver transplantation in children is associated with reduced urinary zinc loss. Hepatology. 1999;29:830-833.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10051486?tool=bestpractice.com[7]Stamoulis I, Kouraklis G, Theocharis S. Zinc and the liver: an active interaction. Dig Dis Sci. 2007;52:1595-1612.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17415640?tool=bestpractice.com糖尿病、[8]Chausmer AB. Zinc, insulin and diabetes. J Am Coll Nutr. 1998;17:109-115.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9550453?tool=bestpractice.com[9]Zheng Y, Li XK, Wang Y, et al. The role of zinc, copper and iron in the pathogenesis of diabetes and diabetic complications: therapeutic effects by chelators. Hemoglobin. 2008;32:135-145.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18274991?tool=bestpractice.com肾脏疾病、[17]Perrone L, Gialanella G, Giordano V, et al. Impaired zinc metabolic status in children affected by idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. Eur J Pediatr. 1990;149:438-440.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2332016?tool=bestpractice.com[12]Kalantar-Zadeh K, Kopple JD. Trace elements and vitamins in maintenance dialysis patients. Adv Ren Replace Ther. 2003;10:170-182.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14708071?tool=bestpractice.com[13]Mahajan SK. Zinc in kidney disease. J Am Coll Nutr. 1989;8:296-304.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2674256?tool=bestpractice.com镰状细胞病、[14]Prasad AS. Zinc deficiency in patients with sickle cell disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;75:181-182.http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/75/2/181.fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11815307?tool=bestpractice.com[11]Bao B, Prasad AS, Beck FW, et al. Zinc supplementation decreases oxidative stress, incidence of infection, and generation of inflammatory cytokines in sickle cell disease patients. Transl Res. 2008;152:67-80.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18674741?tool=bestpractice.com、HIV 感染;[15]Koch J, Neal EA, Schlott MJ, et al. Zinc levels and infections in hospitalized patients with AIDS. Nutrition. 1996;12:515-518.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8878145?tool=bestpractice.com[16]Kupka R, Fawzi W. Zinc nutrition and HIV infection. Nutr Rev. 2002;60:69-79.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11908743?tool=bestpractice.com使用特定药物(氢氯噻嗪、青霉胺、乙胺丁醇或某些抗生素)进行慢性治疗的患者、酗酒者、60 岁以上的人群、素食者和严格素食者。
在发展中国家,病因学研究将其归结为以下因素:锌摄入过少;其他食物引起的吸收减少,以肌醇六磷酸和草酸盐尤甚;因感染导致的锌损失量增加。[28]Bhatnagar S, Natchu UC. Zinc in child health and disease. Indian J Pediatr. 2004;71:991-995.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15572819?tool=bestpractice.com
肠病性肢端皮炎是一种遗传性疾病(常染色体隐性),可造成吸收障碍从而导致严重锌缺乏症。[27]Ackland ML, Michalczyk A. Zinc deficiency and its inherited disorders - a review. Genes Nutr. 2006;1:41-49.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18850219?tool=bestpractice.com