Abrams Steven A
US Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.
Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2008 Feb;50(2 Suppl):438-41; discussion 451. doi: 10.1002/pbc.21417.
Mineral metabolism may be altered in children with acute or chronic illnesses. The effects may be short term, such as hypomagnesemia associated with chemotherapy, or long-term, such as loss of bone mineral mass after steroid use. Understanding the causes, consequences, and potential therapies for mineral disorders is enhanced by understanding the absorption, body utilization, and turnover of these minerals. These assessments can now be done safely and readily using non-radioactive, stable isotopes which are available for calcium, zinc, magnesium, and iron. The methods for measurement of mineral absorption and kinetics (turnover) are well established, especially for calcium, and have been tested in every age group. Few studies, however, have been performed in children with acute or chronic illnesses such as cancer. Isotope dosing and infusion protocols are minimally invasive and protocols require small blood or urine volumes. Mineral absorption can be assessed without collecting fecal samples. Kinetics are assessed with blood and urine collections, usually over 5-10 days. Increased use of these techniques may be important in medical and nutritional assessment as well as in the management of pediatric oncology patients.
患有急性或慢性疾病的儿童，其矿物质代谢可能会发生改变。这些影响可能是短期的，比如与化疗相关的低镁血症；也可能是长期的，比如使用类固醇后骨矿物质含量的流失。了解矿物质紊乱的原因、后果及潜在治疗方法，有助于深入理解这些矿物质的吸收、身体利用及更新情况。现在，利用非放射性稳定同位素可以安全便捷地完成这些评估，这些同位素可用于钙、锌、镁和铁的检测。测量矿物质吸收和动力学（更新）的方法已经成熟，尤其是钙的检测方法，并且在各个年龄组都经过了测试。然而，针对患有急性或慢性疾病（如癌症）的儿童开展的研究较少。同位素给药和输注方案微创，且所需的血液或尿液量较少。评估矿物质吸收无需采集粪便样本。通过采集血液和尿液样本评估动力学，通常需要5至10天。在医学和营养评估以及儿科肿瘤患者的管理中，更多地使用这些技术可能具有重要意义。
