title: The influence of zinc sulfate on neonatal jaundice: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Zinc sulfate may be a promising approach to treat neonatal jaundice. However, the results remain controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of zinc sulfate on hyperbilirubinemia among neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, Cochrane library databases, Ovid, BMJ database, and CINAHL were systematically searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of zinc sulfate versus placebo on the prevention of jaundice in neonates were included. Two investigators independently searched articles, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. The primary outcomes were total serum bilirubin (TSB) on three days and seven days, the incidence of hyperbilirubinemia. Meta-analysis was performed using random- or fixed-effect models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five RCTs involving 645 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with placebo, zinc sulfate supplementation failed to significantly reduce TSB on three days (mean difference (MD) = 0.09 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.49 to 0.67; p = .77), TSB on seven days (MD = -0.37 mg/dL; 95% CI = -98 to 0.25; p = .25) as well as the incidence of hyperbilirubinemia (OR = 1.14; 95% CI = 0.74 to 1.76; p = .56). Zinc sulfate showed no influence on phototherapy requirement (OR = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.41 to 1.98; p = .79), but resulted in significantly decreased duration of phototherapy (MD = -16.69 h; 95% CI = -25.09 to -8.3 h; p < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Zinc sulfate could not reduce the TSB on three days and seven days, the incidence of hyperbilirubinemia and phototherapy requirement, but lead to significantly decreased duration of phototherapy.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatrics , The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , Hefei , China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatrics , The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , Hefei , China.
authors.forename: De
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatrics , The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , Hefei , China.
authors.forename: Baotian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatrics , The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , Hefei , China.
authors.forename: Xiaosong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatrics , The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , Hefei , China.
authors.forename: Jiulai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007567:Jaundice, Neonatal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D019287:Zinc Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D019287:Zinc Sulfate; D001663:Bilirubin
keywords: Zinc sulfate; efficacy; hyperbilirubinemia; meta-analysis; neonatal jaundice