[Low blood zinc levels in children with nephrotic syndrome (author's transl)].

In 14 children with nephrotic syndrome the mean blood zinc level (10.6 +/- 2.2 micromol/l) was found to be significantly lower than that of 113 control children (24.7 +/- 7.3 micromol/l). The blood albumin/zinc ratio was also lower in nephrotic children (1.80 +/- 0.57) than in healthy children (2.87 +/- 0.49). There was no correlation between blood albumin and blood zinc levels. The abnormally low zinc levels are partly due to deficient zinc uptake and may explain some of the disorders described in children with persistent nephrotic syndrome.