Zinc status of infants with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Plasma and urinary zinc levels were examined in 6 infants with fetal alcohol syndrome to determine whether zinc deficiency, if present in fetal alcohol syndrome patients, is secondary to an increased urinary zinc excretion. Six infants born to nonalcoholic mothers served as controls. There was no significant difference in creatinine clearance, urine flow rate, or plasma albumin concentrations between the two groups. Plasma concentrations of zinc were significantly lower in fetal alcohol syndrome patients (62.5 +/- 2.8 micrograms/dl) in comparison to controls (71 +/- 1.8 microgram/dl), (p = 0.0001). Urinary excretion of zinc in fetal alcohol syndrome patients averaged 646 +/- 125 micrograms/24 h, significantly higher than in control subjects (76.6 +/- 22 micrograms/24 h), (p = 0.0001). Thus (1) lower plasma zinc levels are present in infants with fetal alcohol syndrome and (2) increased urinary zinc excretion appears to be responsible for decreased plasma zinc concentrations.