Oral zinc for the treatment of acute gastroenteritis in Polish children: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of zinc in the treatment of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children in Poland.


METHODS
Children aged 3 to 48 months with AGE were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which they received zinc sulfate (10 or 20 mg/day depending on age) or placebo for 10 days. A total of 141 of 160 children recruited were available for intention-to-treat analysis. The primary outcome was the duration of diarrhea.


RESULTS
In the experimental group (n = 69) compared with the control group (n = 72), there was no significant difference in the duration of diarrhea (P > .05). Similarly, there was no significant difference in the groups in secondary outcome measures such as stool frequency on days 1, 2, and 3, vomiting frequency, intravenous fluid intake, and the number of children with diarrhea lasting >7 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Children living in a country where zinc deficiency is rare do not appear to benefit from the use of zinc in the treatment of AGE.
Patro
Bernadeta
B
Department of Paediatrics, The Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland. abpatro@yahoo.com
Szymański
Henryk
H
Szajewska
Hania
H
D000208:Acute Disease; D000284:Administration, Oral; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D019287:Zinc Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D019287:Zinc Sulfate