Zinc: the Other Suspected Environmental Factor in Kashin-Beck Disease in Addition to Selenium

Wang X, Ning Y, Yang L, Yu F, Guo X · Biological Trace Element Research

Reviews evidence that zinc status may contribute to Kashin-Beck disease, an endemic cartilage disease: results are described by the authors as inconsistent ('a conundrum'), though zinc reportedly helped repair metaphyseal lesions in affected children — the deficiency end of the zinc-cartilage question.

Population

Narrative review of trace-element studies in Kashin-Beck disease, an endemic osteochondropathy

Intervention

Environmental/dietary zinc status

Comparator

n/a

Limitations

Narrative review of inconsistent observational data in a disease confined to specific low-selenium regions; says nothing about supplementation in replete adults.