TY - JOUR
T1 - Zinc supplementation for the treatment of diarrhea in infants in Pakistan, India and Ethiopia
AU - Fischer Walker, Christa L.
AU - Bhutta, Zulfiqar A.
AU - Bhandari, Nita
AU - Teka, Telahun
AU - Shahid, Farhana
AU - Taneja, Sunita
AU - Black, Robert E.
AU - Rasool, Shahid
AU - Nizami, S. Qamaruddin
AU - Rongsen, Temsunaro
AU - Suri, Vandna
AU - Lulseged, Sileshi
AU - Tesfaye, Yeshewatsehaye
PY - 2006/9
Y1 - 2006/9
N2 - OBJECTIVE: This randomized, placebo controlled trial was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of 10-mg zinc supplementation for the treatment of acute diarrhea in infants. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 1110 infants aged 28 days to 5 months with acute diarrhea were enrolled and randomized to receive either zinc (n = 554) or placebo (n = 556) for 14 days. Diarrhea history, anthropometric status, breast-feeding status and socioeconomic indicators were assessed at baseline. The homes of all infants were visited every 3 days until the diarrhea episode was over. The number of stools, presence of blood and additional illnesses were recorded daily. RESULTS: The geometric mean duration of the diarrhea episode was 0.21 days longer among infants receiving zinc versus those receiving placebo, but this was not statistically significant and no difference was observed after controlling for sex, exclusive breast-feeding and length for age Z score. There were no differences in any subgroup (ie, sex, baseline length for age Z score, exclusive breast-feeding or site after controlling for the remaining subgroup variables). There were no differences in reported stool frequency or among the proportion of episodes lasting longer than 7 days. Rates of vomiting were similar in the zinc and placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: Young infants do not appear to benefit from zinc supplementation for the treatment of diarrhea.
AB - OBJECTIVE: This randomized, placebo controlled trial was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of 10-mg zinc supplementation for the treatment of acute diarrhea in infants. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 1110 infants aged 28 days to 5 months with acute diarrhea were enrolled and randomized to receive either zinc (n = 554) or placebo (n = 556) for 14 days. Diarrhea history, anthropometric status, breast-feeding status and socioeconomic indicators were assessed at baseline. The homes of all infants were visited every 3 days until the diarrhea episode was over. The number of stools, presence of blood and additional illnesses were recorded daily. RESULTS: The geometric mean duration of the diarrhea episode was 0.21 days longer among infants receiving zinc versus those receiving placebo, but this was not statistically significant and no difference was observed after controlling for sex, exclusive breast-feeding and length for age Z score. There were no differences in any subgroup (ie, sex, baseline length for age Z score, exclusive breast-feeding or site after controlling for the remaining subgroup variables). There were no differences in reported stool frequency or among the proportion of episodes lasting longer than 7 days. Rates of vomiting were similar in the zinc and placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: Young infants do not appear to benefit from zinc supplementation for the treatment of diarrhea.
KW - Diarrhea
KW - Infants
KW - Randomized controlled trial
KW - Zinc supplementation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33748541957&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/01.mpg.0000232018.40907.00
DO - 10.1097/01.mpg.0000232018.40907.00
M3 - Article
C2 - 16954960
AN - SCOPUS:33748541957
SN - 0277-2116
VL - 43
SP - 357
EP - 363
JO - Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
JF - Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
IS - 3
ER -
