Efficacy of Oral Zinc Supplementation in Radiologically Confirmed Pneumonia: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial. (30th May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bagri, Narendra Kumar; Bagri, Neha; Jana, Manisha; Gupta, Arun Kumar; Wadhwa, Nitya; Lodha, Rakesh; Kabra, Sushil Kumar; Chandran, Aruna; Aneja, Satinder; Chaturvedi, Mona K; Sodhi, Jitender; Fitzwater, Sean Patrick; Chandra, Jagdish; Rath, Bimbadhar; Kainth, Udaypal S; Saini, Savita; Black, Robert E; Santosham, Mathuram; Bhatnagar, Shinjini
• Is Part Of: Journal of tropical pediatrics. Volume 64:Number 2(2018:Apr.)
• Page Start: 110
• Page End: 117
• Publication Date: 2017-05-30
• Subjects: zinc -- chest X-ray -- radiological pneumonia -- children; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Tropical medicine -- Periodicals; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Tropical Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Health -- Periodicals; Infant; Child; 618.929883
• DOI: 10.1093/tropej/fmx036
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0142-6338

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the effect of zinc as an adjuvant therapy in radiologically confirmed pneumonia in children 2–24 months of age. Patients and Methods: We analyzed data of 212 children with pneumonia for whom chest X-ray films were available at enrollment and at least two radiologists agreed on the diagnosis of pneumonia. We compared the time to recovery in the two groups ( n = 121, zinc group and n = 91, placebo group) using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: Time to recovery was similar in both groups [median interquartile range: zinc, 84 h (64, 140 h); placebo, 85 h (65, 140 h)]. The absolute risk reduction for treatment failure was 5.2% (95% confidence interval: −4.8, 15.1) with zinc supplementation. Conclusion: There was no significant beneficial effect of zinc on the duration of recovery or risk of treatment failure in children with radiologically confirmed pneumonia.