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Zinc for severe pneumonia in very young children: double-blind placebo-controlled trial

W Abdullah Brooks1, M Yunus, Mathuram Santosham

  • 1Centre for Health and Population Research, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, GPO Box 128 Mohakhali, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh. abrooks@icddrb.org

Lancet (London, England)
|May 26, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Zinc supplementation significantly reduces the duration of severe pneumonia in children. This intervention also shortens hospital stays, offering a cost-effective treatment for pediatric pneumonia.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Nutritional Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Pneumonia is a major cause of childhood illness and death globally.
  • Early symptom resolution in severe pneumonia improves patient outcomes.
  • Zinc's role as an acute phase reactant suggests potential therapeutic benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if zinc supplementation shortens the duration of severe pneumonia in children.
  • To determine the effect of zinc on hospital stay length for pediatric pneumonia patients.
  • To evaluate zinc as an adjuvant therapy for severe pneumonia.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 270 children aged 2-23 months.
  • Participants received either 20 mg of elemental zinc daily or a placebo, alongside standard antimicrobial treatment.
  • Outcomes measured included time to resolution of severe pneumonia signs and hospital discharge duration.

Main Results:

  • Zinc supplementation significantly reduced the duration of severe pneumonia (RH=0.70).
  • The treatment also shortened overall hospital stay duration (RH=0.75), averaging one day less.
  • Effects were more pronounced when children with wheezing were excluded from analysis.

Conclusions:

  • Daily 20 mg zinc accelerates recovery in children with severe pneumonia.
  • Zinc may reduce antibiotic resistance by decreasing exposure to multiple antibiotics.
  • This intervention could lessen complications and mortality in resource-limited settings.
Abstract

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