Table 2.

Mean serum concentrations (ppb) of essential trace elements by the severity of konzo according to the WHO definition criteria of the disease.

Serum concentrations Se, Cu, and Zn tend to differ according to the severity of konzo. More severely affected children tend to have lower levels of these essential elements. No difference was seen, however, in mean serum concentrations of Zn between those with mild konzo relative to the non-konzo children.

Elements	Non-konzo	Mild Konzo	Moderate Konzo	Severe Konzo
Fe
Mean (SD)	1153.40 (565.48)	1295.59 (999.64)	1003.80 (415.66)	1171.76 (1267.72)
Median (IQR)	1015.33 (763.98 – 1464.77)	1034.23 (672.23 –1525.87)	883.89 (656.75 – 1241.14)	643.16 (461.63 –1191.57)
Se
Mean (SD)	*35.39 (22.94)	*28.96 (17.99)	21.78 (11.68)	*12.39 (6.37)
Median (IQR)	31.38 (19.58 – 43.96)	24.13 (16.47 –37.28)	17.57 (13.97 –32.89)	12.26 (6.93 –16.12)
Cu
Mean (SD)	*1106.73 (448.19)	*1024.11 (419.28)	863.08 (279.27)	*685.73 (240.92)
Median (IQR)	985.13 (786.27 –1277.19)	952.77 (712.35 – 1323.71)	886.36 (610.32 – 1140.40)	671.15 (525.12 – 738.09)
Zn
Mean (SD)	*705.66 (235.74)	*735.49 (287.43)	607.40 (230.48)	*457.71 (202.87)
Median (IQR)	708.03 (504.95 –863.58)	687.36 (507.19 – 899.57)	606.02 (400.69 – 811.41)	403.76 (340.52 –540.75)

^*ANOVA p-value ≤ 0.01 for between-groups differences.