Diarrhea prevalence on days 3 , 5 , and 7 was lower in the zinc group .
The incidence of vomiting was significantly greater in the group that received zinc than in the control group .
CONCLUSIONS Oral zinc supplementation significantly decreases diarrhea duration and has a greater effect on malnourished children .
OBJECTIVE To up date the available evidence about zinc use for treating diarrhea in children and to assess its effect on the malnourished population , a subgroup that has not been fully explored in previous analyses .
Double‐blind, randomized, controlled trial of zinc or vitamin A supplementation in young children with acute diarrhoea
In a double‐blind , controlled trial with a factorial design , 684 patients ( aged 6 months to 2 y ; excludes 6 early dropouts ) with acute watery diarrhoea of 3 d or less and some dehydration , who were attending a hospital , were r and omly assigned to 4 groups to receive : ( a ) vitamin A 4500 μg retinol equivalent daily for 15 d ; ( b ) 14.2 mg elemental zinc as acetate for the first 417 patients and 40 mg of the remaining 273 patients r and omized to this group for 15 d ; ( c ) both vitamin A 4500 μg retinol equivalent and zinc at the above doses daily for 15 d ; or ( d ) placebo mixtures for 15 d. Patients were observed in the hospital for 24 h and followed up at home for 15 d. All received ascorbic acid 30 mg with each dose of medicine or placebo . Zinc supplementation was associated with a reduced duration of diarrhoea ( 13 % , p= 0.03 ) and markedly reduced rate ( 43 % , p=  0.017 ) of prolonged diarrhoea ( < 7 d ) . Vitamin A supplementation was associated with a nonsignificant trend for reduced rate of prolonged diarrhoea ( p= 0.089 ) . In conclusion , zinc supplementation as adjunct therapy had a substantial impact on the rate of prolonged diarrhoea and some impact on duration and may be beneficial in children with diarrhoea in developing countries
Diarrhea prevalence on days 3 , 5 , and 7 was lower in the zinc group .
The incidence of vomiting was significantly greater in the group that received zinc than in the control group .
CONCLUSIONS Oral zinc supplementation significantly decreases diarrhea duration and has a greater effect on malnourished children .
OBJECTIVE To up date the available evidence about zinc use for treating diarrhea in children and to assess its effect on the malnourished population , a subgroup that has not been fully explored in previous analyses .