Aim: Comparative evaluation of growth pattern of celiac patients on Gluten free diet with and without zinc supplementation.

Methodology: All the children with celiac disease presenting to the Gastroenterology clinic of department of pediatrics are included. Their detailed clinical assessment and baseline anthropometric indices were done. Zinc supplementation 20 mg/day was given to them for 3 months. At the end of 3 months again clinical assessment and anthropometric indices were done and zinc supplementation was stopped. At 6 months follow-up again clinical assessment and anthropometric indices were done.

Results: Of the 31 Celiac disease included till now, 20 were males, and mean age of presentation was 97.4 46.4 months. Mean duration of diarrhea was 40.632.45 months. The mean weight for age (WFA), height for age (HFA), weight for height (WFH) and body mass index (BMI) of the patients at presentation was 62.9814.4%, 84.837.27%, 90,359.52% and 14,241.47 kg/m 2 respectively. The mean serum zinc at inclusion in the study was 68.74 ± 41.46 µ g/dl. After three months of zinc supplementation, the mean WFA, HFA, WFH and BMI was 68.78 10.56%, 86.266.7%, 96.019.36% and 15.17 1.36 kg/m 2 respectively. The mean serum zinc levels at 3 months follow up was 78.28 42.59 µ g/dl. All the anthropometric indices had statistically significant improvement (p <0.001). At six months of follow up, the mean WFA, HFA, WFH and BMI was 64.496.63%, 91,419.24% and 14,51.3 kg/m 2 respectively. Mean value of serum zinc concentration was 77.72 ± 40.67 µ g/dl. All the anthropometric indices (except the HFA) and the serum zinc values had shown a statistically significant fall (p <0.001).

Conclusion: In celiac patients after three months of zinc supplementation there was significant improvement in all the anthropometric indices. At 6 months follow up (3 months after stopping zinc supplementation), there was a statistically significant decline in all the anthropometric indices as well as serum zinc levels. Celiac pts need zinc supplementation for longer period with GFD.