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 .
Zinc and copper supplementation in acute diarrhea in children: a double-blind randomized controlled trial
Background Diarrhea causes an estimated 2.5 million child deaths in developing countries each year , 35 % of which are due to acute diarrhea . Zinc and copper stores in the body are known to be depleted during acute diarrhea . Our objectives were to evaluate the efficacy of zinc and copper supplementation when given with st and ard treatment to children with acute watery or bloody diarrhea . Methods We conducted a double-blind r and omized controlled clinical trial in the Department of Pediatrics at Indira G and hi Government Medical College Nagpur , India . Eight hundred and eight children aged 6 months to 59 months with acute diarrhea were individually r and omized to placebo ( Pl ) , zinc ( Zn ) only , and zinc and copper ( Zn+Cu ) together with st and ard treatment for acute diarrhea . Results The mean duration of diarrhea from enrolment and the mean stool weight during hospital stay were 63.7 hours and 940 grams , respectively , and there were no significant differences in the adjusted means across treatment groups . Similarly , the adjusted means of the amount of oral rehydration solution or intravenous fluids used , the proportion of participants with diarrhea more than 7 days from onset , and the severity of diarrhea indicated by more than three episodes of some dehydration or any episode of severe dehydration after enrolment , did not differ across the three groups . Conclusion The expected beneficial effects of zinc supplementation for acute diarrhea were not observed . Therapeutic Zn or Zn and Cu supplementation may not have a universal beneficial impact on the duration of acute diarrhea in children . Trial registration The study was registered as an International St and ard R and omized Controlled Trial ( IS RCT N85071383 )
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 .