Role of Zinc in Recurrent Acute Lower Respiratory Infections
Condition: Acute Respiratory Infections
MeSH terms: Infections; Communicable Diseases; Respiratory Tract Infections
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 3

Summary: 
      Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are the most frequent illnesses globally. Despite
      advances in the recognition and management ARIs, these account for over 20% of all child
      deaths globally.Trace mineral deficiencies have long been implicated in causation and
      consequences of many diseases. The importance of adequate zinc intake in human health is well
      documented and zinc deficiency is a large public health problem, especially among children in
      developing countries.Various studies suggest that zinc-deficient populations are at increased
      risk of developing diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory tract infections and growth
      retardation.Among the individual interventions zinc supplementation with universal coverage
      ranks 5th in preventing under five mortality in India, preceded only in order by breast
      feeding; complementary feeding; clean delivery; Hib vaccination; and clean water, sanitation
      and hygiene.Numerous studies have examined the association between child mortality and zinc
      deficiency. A number of randomized controlled trials evaluating effect of zinc
      supplementation have found the intervention to be beneficial in reducing ARI and diarrhoeal
      mortality and morbidity but few studies have found beneficial effect in diarrhea and no or
      even contrasting effects on morbidity pattern of acute respiratory infections. Whereas role
      of zinc in diarrhea is now a well established and specific guidelines and recommendations
      have been given for zinc supplementation in diarrhea, role of zinc in acute respiratory
      infections is controversial. The contrasting effect of zinc on diarrhoea and acute lower
      respiratory infection as reported in several studies is a public health concern, because zinc
      supplementation is carried out in many nutrition rehabilitation units. Further in many of
      randomized control trials supplement syrups also contained other vitamins, including vitamin
      A, known to have effect on respiratory morbidity. Most of the trials evaluating effect of
      zinc on respiratory morbidity and mortality are community based and children with well known
      causes of recurrent acute lower respiratory infections have not been excluded from the study
      pool.

      Hence the current study was planned to bridge this gap of information and attempts to detect
      the role of zinc using "zinc only preparations" in reducing respiratory morbidity in children
      aged 6 to 59 months with recurrent acute lower respiratory infections.
    


Intervention name(s): Zinc; placebo
Intervention type(s): Drug; Other
Intervention description(s): 5 ml of syrup containing zinc gluconate equivalent to 10 mg of elemental zinc per day for 60 days; 5 ml of syrup, identical in taste, color and consistency to the syrup given to zinc group, but containing no zinc
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: zinc; aute lower respiratory infections