Zinc supplementation in children with acute diarrhoea.

BACKGROUND In Nigeria, diarrhoeal disease is second only to malaria as a cause of death the under 5 age group. This study was aimed at assessing the benefit or otherwise of zinc supplement in acute diarrhoea. SUBJECTS AND METHODS This was a multi-centred randomized double blind controlled study. Children with acute diarrhoea aged between 6 and 24 months were randomized into zinc supplemented and placebo groups. Plasma zinc levels were analyzed at enrollment and at the end of the study. The children were reviewed for the next three months from the time of enrollment. RESULTS The mean plasma zinc levels at baseline and at the end of the study were 0.06 +/- 0.04 and 0.067 +/- 0.03 ppm in the zinc supplemented group and 0.11 +/- 0.02 and 0.05 +/- 0.03 ppm in the control group. The differences were not statistically significant. The zinc supplemented group had an average weight gain of 1.1 kg as against 0.73 kg (p = 0.00) for the control group in the study period. No adverse effect was reported on account of zinc supplementation. CONCLUSION Zinc supplementation is beneficial in acute diarrhoea as observed in this study.