Placebo Controlled Trial of Zinc Supplementation on duration of Hospital Stay in Children with Pneumonia

Placebo Controlled Trial of Zinc Supplementation on duration of Hospital Stay in Children with Pneumonia

Authors

  • Arun Kumar Singh
  • Syed Muhammad Javed Iqbal
  • Raheela Akhtar
  • Muhammad Faheem Afzal
  • Muhammad Ashraf Sultan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21649/akemu.v18i4.455

Abstract

Abstract

Background:  Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children younger than 5 years of age. Zinc may have an important protective role in cases of childhood pneumonia.

Objectives:  To study the effect of zinc supplemen-tation on duration of hospital stay in children (6 mon-ths to 5 years) with pneumonia.

Methodology:  This Randomized control trial was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics Unit - I, King Edward Medical University / Mayo Hospital, Lahore from January to December 2011. After con-sent, 150 children from 6 months to 5 years of age with pneumonia consistent with WHO ARI definition along with crepitations on auscultation were registered by non-probability purposive sampling and were randomized into treatment group (Group A) and pla-cebo group (Group B). Seventy five children supple-mented with zinc for 14 days while 75 children were supplemented with placebo. Outcome measure was duration of hospital stay. T-test was used to compare the groups.

Results:  Out of total study population of 150, majo-rity (35%) of children were below 2 years. There was male predominance (64%). Mean duration of hospital stay was significantly reduced in treatment group (p value < 0.05).

Conclusion:  Zinc supplementation results in statisti-cally significant reduction in the duration of hospital stay in children (6 months to 5 years) with pneumonia.

Key words:  Children, Duration of hospital stay, Pne-umonia, Zinc supplementation.

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How to Cite

Singh, A. K., Iqbal, S. M. J., Akhtar, R., Afzal, M. F., & Sultan, M. A. (2014). Placebo Controlled Trial of Zinc Supplementation on duration of Hospital Stay in Children with Pneumonia. Annals of King Edward Medical University, 18(4), 365. https://doi.org/10.21649/akemu.v18i4.455

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