Relationship between serum zinc levels and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children

Abstract:

Objective To study the possible relationship between serum zinc levels and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Chinese children.Methods Following a systematic search for case-control studies on the serum zinc levels in Chinese children with ADHD published between 2000 and 2015, a Meta analysis was conducted using Stata 12.0 software.Results A total of 17 studies, including 2 177 children with ADHD and 2 900 normal children, were enrolled. The Meta analysis showed that serum zinc levels in children with ADHD were lower than normal children (SMD=-1.33; 95%CI:-2.22, -0.44; P=0.003). The sensitivity analysis indicated that the results were reliable. Egger's test did not find the existence of publication bias.Conclusions Serum zinc levels may be associated with susceptibility to ADHD in children.