en Clinical Medicine Clinical Medicine مقاله پژوهشی Original Research Article <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><strong new="" roman="" style="font-family: " times=""><span style="color:#ffffff;"><span style="background-color:#16a085;">Background and Objective:</span></span>&nbsp;</strong><span style="line-height:200%"><span style="line-height:200%">Growth is an important marker of child health. It has been shown recently that a chronic inflammatory condition, known as Environmental Enteric Dysfunction might play a more significant role on growth velocity than clinical infections. The present study aims to investigate the fecal myeloperoxidase concentration (a marker of gut inflammation) and its relationship with growth velocity.</span></span><br> <strong new="" roman="" style="font-family: " times=""><span style="color:#ffffff;"><span style="background-color:#16a085;">Materials and Methods:</span></span>&nbsp;</strong><span style="line-height:200%"><span style="line-height:200%">In this prospective cohort study, 74 children from rural population of Iran (2 to 5 years of age) were randomly included. The heights and weights of the children were measured at a quarterly interval. The stool samples were obtained from all children in order to measure myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentration. The growth velocity was assessed on the basis of height for age Z-score and weight for age Z-score changes.<span style="color:black"> A questionnaire on </span>socioeconomic status was also completed by children&rsquo;s parents.</span></span><br> <strong new="" roman="" style="font-family: " times=""><span style="color:#ffffff;"><span style="background-color:#16a085;">Results:</span></span></strong>&nbsp;<span style="line-height:200%"><span style="line-height:200%">82 children aged 2 to 5 years (37 females and 45 males) with mean age of 40.63 &plusmn; 12.7 months participated in this study. The mean fecal MPO level was 71.26 ng/ml (Min &ndash; Max: 2 &ndash; 232.33 ng/ml). There was no significant relationship between fecal myeloperoxidase level and changes in height and weight Z scores. Moreover, there was no significant relationship between socioeconomic status of households and fecal myeloperoxidase level.</span></span><br> <strong new="" roman="" style="font-family: " times=""><span style="color:#ffffff;"><span style="background-color:#16a085;">Conclusion:</span></span>&nbsp;</strong><span style="line-height:200%"><span style="line-height:200%">The mean level of fecal MPO in the present study was lower than similar studies. This significant difference might be mainly due to the better social status of families and environmental conditions of villages in our study.</span></span></span></span></p> Myeloperoxidase, Biomarkers, Environmental Enteric Dysfunction, Child growth 255 262 http://journal.zums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-5930-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Mina Rostami mina.rostami1373@gmail.com 5200319475328460073492 5200319475328460073492 No Zanjan Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Ziba Molaei zibm1400@gmail.com 5200319475328460073493 5200319475328460073493 Yes Dept.of Pediatrics, Mousavi Hospital, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Nima Motamed nima.motamed@gmail.com 5200319475328460073494 5200319475328460073494 No Dept. of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran