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PUBERTAL DEVELOPMENT IN EGYPTIAN SCHOOL GIRLS IN RELATION TO ZINC AND SELENIUM STATUS

H.Elkhayat¹, K. Taman², N. Ismail², Z. Beshry³, A.S. Hafez⁴ and H. Elgebaly²

¹Pediatrics Department, ² Medical department -Institute Postgraduate of Childhood Studies, ³Psychiatry Department, ⁴Public Health Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Objective: A cross sectional study of sexual maturation of 3600 normal Egyptian school girls aged 10-18 years in different educational stages was carried out at Cairo governorate. The aim of this study was to up date reference for normal pubertal development and to elucidate the relation of serum levels of zinc and selenium to different pubertal stages and psychological status.

Methods: All studied girls subjected to anthropometric measures (weight, height, weight for height ratio) and sexual maturation according to Modified Tanner's classification. Serum levels of zinc and selenium were measured by using a flamless atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Model 406,2000 graphite) and personality traits Arabic version of Eysenck's personally questionnaire.

Results: Puberty as indicated by stage II of breast, pubic hair and axillary hair development were 10.0 +1.9, 10.7 +2.3 and 10.6±2.3 years respectively and the mean age of menarche was 12.3 +1.0 years. The mean value of weight, height and weight for height for age ratio was significantly increased in stage II of puberty. Serum selenium level was significantly +ve correlated with all different pubertal stages. But, serum zinc level was not statistically different in various pubertal stages. Although, mean serum levels of selenium and zinc were higher in girls having menarche earlier than 12.3 years of age, yet; serum selenium showed only statistical significant difference. Personality traits showed that there was tendency to psychoticism (17%), introversion (30%), extroversion (40%) and neurotisim (16%) and tendency to lie (60%).

Conclusion: Puberty is a physiological process that needs good nutrition, especially, some trace elements as zinc and selenium that found to be essential for sex maturation. Also, psychological support of girls at this stage of development is mandatory to avoid early or late sequelae.