title: Zinc Supplementation in Preterm Neonates and Neurological Development, A Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of zinc supplementation on neuro-development and growth of preterm neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Referral neonatal unit of a teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open-labeled Randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  100 preterm neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants randomized to receive oral zinc (study group) or not (controls).
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary: Neuro-development status at 40 weeks post conceptional age and at 3 month corrected age using Amiel-Tison neurologic assessment. Secondary: anthropometry and serum alkaline phosphatase at 3 months corrected age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 40 weeks post-conceptional age, greater number of zinc supplemented infants demonstrated alertness and attention pattern normal for their age (P=0.02). Higher number of controls showed signs of hyper-excitability at 40 week post-conceptional age (P=0.001) and 3 months corrected age (P=0.003). At 3 month corrected age, mean serum alkaline phosphatase level was significantly higher in the study group compared to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Zinc supplementation till 3 month corrected age in preterm breastfed infants improves alertness and attention pattern; and decreases signs of hyperexcitability, and proportion with abnormal reflexes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India. Correspondence to: Dr NB Mathur, Director Professor and Head, Department of Neonatology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi 110 002, India. drnbmathur@gmail.com.
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Mathur
authors.forename: Devendra K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Agarwal
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D015032:Zinc