Short-term therapeutic role of zinc in children &lt; 5 years of age hospitalised for severe acute lower respiratory tract infection

Das, R.Ranjan.; Singh, M.; Shafiq, N.; Das, R.Ranjan; Singh, M; Shafiq, N

doi:10.1016/j.prrv.2012.01.004

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Short-term therapeutic role of zinc in children < 5 years of age hospitalised for severe acute lower respiratory tract infection

Das, R.Ranjan.; Singh, M.; Shafiq, N.

Paediatric Respiratory Reviews 13(3): 184-191

2012

ISSN/ISBN: 1526-0550

PMID: 22726876

DOI: 10.1016/j.prrv.2012.01.004

Document Number: 561515

In contrast to its preventive role , no consensus has evolved for the therapeutic role of zinc in pneumonia in children. We conducted a meta-analysis to find the therapeutic role of zinc in children <5 years of age hospitalised for severe acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI). A comprehensive search was performed of the major electronic databases. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing treatment with zinc versus placebo were included. Seven RCTs (166 subjects) conducted in developing countries were eligible for inclusion. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the time of resolution of severe illness (standardised mean difference (SMD) .15 (95% confidence interval (CI) .5, .2; p =.4)) and duration of hospitalisation (SMD .29 (95% CI .68, .9; p =.13)). No significant difference between the two groups was also noted for other parameters (duration of resolution of hypoxia, chest indrawing or tachypnoea, change of antibiotics and treatment failure rates). The adverse events were not significant. To conclude, present available data do not support the efficacy of zinc in treatment of severe ALRTI.