Impact of zinc on sexual maturation of female sickle cell anemia (SCA) children in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria.

Adolescence is an important developmental period of childhood. Good health and adequate nutrition consisting major food constituents and trace elements like zinc are fundamental for optimal sexual maturation. To determine the relationship between zinc levels and pattern of breast and pubic hair development, as well as menarcheal age of female SCA children aged 6-18 years and their matched controls with hemoglobin genotype AA. Cross sectional, case-control study. Information on biodata, age at menarche, medical and drug history as well as 24-hour dietary recall was documented using interviewer administered questionnaire. Sexual maturation was assessed using Tanner staging and zinc levels determined using Atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Eighty-one subjects were compared with 81 controls. There was significant delay in the mean age of attainment of various Tanner stages of breast and pubic hair in the subjects. Mean age of 14.81 ± 1.07 years at menarche in subjects was significantly higher than 12.62 ± 1.18 years in controls (p = 0.001). Serum zinc of 58.01 ± 10.58 µg/dl in subjects was significantly lower than 68.37 ± 8.67 µg/dl in controls (p = 0.001). Serum zinc levels were found to have a significant positive relationship with stages of sexual maturation and mean age at menarche. Reduced serum zinc in children with SCA was associated with delayed sexual maturation.