Analysis of the relationships between zinc concentration in preterm newborns and the dichotomous variables of small for gestational age, recombinant human erythropoietin treatment, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, congenital or nosocomial infection, preterm bone disease, gender and birth before 32 weeks of gestation
| Median (IQ25–IQ75) of serum zinc concentration (μmol/L) | P value* | |
| Small for gestational age | ||
| Yes (n=18) | 3.3 (1.7–4.3) | 0.011 |
| No (n=65) | 4.9 (3.0–7.6) | |
| Treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin | ||
| Yes (n=30) | 3.8 (2.1–4.9) | 0.020 |
| No (n=53) | 5 (3.0–7.7) | |
| Bronchopulmonary dysplasia | ||
| Yes (n=16) | 2.7 (1.8–4.3) | 0.005 |
| No (n=67) | 4.9 (3.0–7.7) | |
| Congenital or nosocomial infection | ||
| Yes (n=22) | 4.3 (2.1–6.4) | 0.37 |
| No (n=61) | 4.4 (2.8–7.0) | |
| Metabolic bone disease | ||
| Yes (n=6) | 3.9 (2.4–5.1) | 0.36 |
| No (n=77) | 4.4 (2.7–7.0) | |
| Gender | ||
| Male (n=39) | 4.4 (2.8–7.6) | 0.33 |
| Female (n=44) | 4.2 (2.2–6.4) | |
| Birth before 32 weeks of gestation | ||
| Yes (n=43) | 4.2 (2.2–5.6) | 0.13 |
| No (n=40) | 4.9 (3.0–7.7) | |
*Mann-Whitney U test.