title: Efficacy of zinc in young infants with acute watery diarrhea.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
authors.affiliation: The Centre for Health & Population Research, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh. abrooks@mac.com
authors.forename: W Abdullah
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Mathuram
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santosham
authors.forename: Swapan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Abu S G
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Faruque
authors.forename: M Abdu'l
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wahed
authors.forename: Kamrun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nahar
authors.forename: Ashrafu'l I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: A Fazu'l
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: George J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Black
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D001835:Body Weight; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D015532:Rehydration Solutions; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D015532:Rehydration Solutions; D015032:Zinc