Therapeutic effects of oral zinc supplementation on acute watery diarrhea with moderate dehydration: A double-blind randomized clinical trial

To assess the therapeutic effects of oral zinc
supplementation on acute watery diarrhea of children with
moderate dehydration.
Methods: All 9-month to 5-year-old children who were admitted
with acute watery diarrhea and moderate dehydration to the
Children Ward of Motahari Hospital, Urmia, Iran in 2008 were
recruited. After the application of the inclusion and exclusion
criteria, the patients were randomly allocated to two groups: one
group to receive zinc plus oral rehydration solution (ORS) and
the other one to receive ORS plus placebo. All the patients were
rehydrated using ORS and then receiving ORS for ongoing loss
(10 ml/kg after every defecation). Additionally, the patients in
the intervention group received zinc syrup (1 mg/kg/day) divided
into two doses. A detailed questionnaire was filled daily for each
patient by trained pediatrics residents; it contained required
demographic characteristics, nutrition and hydration status,
and disease progression. The primary outcome (frequency and
consistency of diarrhea) and the secondary outcomes (duration
of hospitalization and change in patients’ weight) were compared
between the two groups.
Results: The mean diarrhea frequency (4.5±2.3 vs. 5.3±2.1;
P=0.004) was lower in the group receiving zinc +ORS; however,
the average weight was relatively similar between the two groups
(10.5±3.1 vs. 10.1±2.3; P=0.14). The qualitative assessment of
stool consistency also confirmed earlier improvement in the
treatment group in the first three days of hospitalization (P
<0.05). The mean duration of hospitalization was significantly
lower in the patients receiving zinc supplements (2.5±0.7 vs.
3.3±0.8 days; P=0.001).
Conclusion: Our results imply the beneficial effects of therapeutic
zinc supplementation on disease duration and severity in patients
with acute diarrhea and moderate dehydration in Iran