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Efficacy of zinc in young infants with acute watery diarrhea
W Abdullah Brooks1, Mathuram Santosham, Swapan K Roy
1The Centre for Health & Population Research, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh. abrooks@mac.com
Insights
Zinc supplementation did not reduce diarrhea duration or stool volume in infants aged 1-6 months. Both 20 mg and 5 mg doses of zinc were well-tolerated, showing no significant differences in illness outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Previous research indicated zinc's efficacy in reducing acute watery diarrhea in children over 4 months.
- Limited data existed on zinc's effects in infants younger than 6 months.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of zinc supplementation on diarrhea duration and stool quantity in infants aged 1-6 months.
- To compare the effects of two different daily zinc dosages (20 mg vs. 5 mg) in this age group.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted.
- Infants hospitalized with dehydration were assigned to receive 20 mg zinc/day, 5 mg zinc/day, or placebo.
- Treatment continued for the duration of the illness.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed in diarrhea duration or mean stool volume between the zinc and placebo groups.
- Fluid intake, need for intravenous fluids, weight gain, and vomiting rates did not differ significantly across groups.
- A total of 275 infants were enrolled in the study.
Conclusions:
- Zinc supplementation did not demonstrate a significant effect on diarrhea duration or stool volume in infants aged 1-6 months.
- Both tested zinc dosages were well-tolerated by young infants.
- Potential benefits of zinc on subsequent illnesses could not be excluded.
Background:
Recent studies reported that zinc significantly reduced the duration and volume of acute watery diarrhea in children aged > or = 4 mo, but there were no data specifically on infants aged < 6 mo.
Objective:
This study investigated the effect of zinc on the duration of illness and the stool quantity in acute watery diarrhea of infants aged 1-6 mo by comparing a 20 mg Zn/d dose with a 5 mg Zn/d dose.
Design:
Infants hospitalized with at least some dehydration (by World Health Organization classification) were enrolled in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Infants were randomly assigned to receive 20 mg Zn (acetate)/d, 5 mg Zn/d, or placebo for the duration of illness.
Results:
Two hundred seventy-five infants were enrolled between 20 September 1998 and 18 December 2000. Neither diarrhea duration nor mean stool volume differed between groups. There were no significant differences in fluid intake, the need for unscheduled intravenous fluid, weight gain, or vomiting rates between the groups.
Conclusions:
Zinc supplementation did not affect diarrhea duration or stool volume in young infants. Young infants tolerated both zinc doses. A beneficial effect on subsequent illness cannot be ruled out.
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