Association Between Serum Zinc Levels and Hepatic Encephalopathy in Pediatric decompensated Liver diseases: A Case control Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a serious complication of pediatric liver failure. Zinc plays an important role in ammonia metabolism, but its association with HE in children remains unclear. the aim of this study was to evaluate serum zinc levels in pediatric liver failure and their relationship with HE. Methods: This study included 100 children with chronic liver disease (CLD) or acute liver failure (ALF) and a matched control group. Clinical assessment, liver function tests, serum ammonia, serum zinc, and disease-severity scores were evaluated. The predictive value of zinc for HE was assessed using ROC analysis. Results: Serum zinc levels differed significantly among controls, CLD, and ALF patients (p<0.001), with the lowest levels observed in CLD, particularly in those with HE. In CLD, lower zinc levels were associated with greater disease severity and worse liver function parameters. However, zinc levels did not differ significantly according to HE status within disease groups. ROC analysis showed limited predictive value for HE, and multivariable analysis identified Child–Pugh score and serum ammonia, but not serum zinc, as independent predictors of HE. Conclusion: Zinc deficiency was mainly associated with chronic liver disease rather than acute liver failure. Although lower zinc levels correlated with disease severity in CLD, serum zinc was not an independent predictor of HE and may be more useful as a marker of chronic liver disease severity than as a diagnostic marker for hepatic encephalopathy.
Language: English
Subfield: Hepatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7204434824