Oral zinc for treating diarrhoea in children

Lazzerini M, Wanzira H

Published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Methodology

Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of 33 randomised controlled trials of oral zinc versus placebo in children aged 1 month to 5 years with acute or persistent diarrhoea

Key Findings

In children older than six months zinc probably shortens diarrhoea duration and reduces the number of children with diarrhoea persisting to day seven; evidence in infants under six months shows little or no benefit. Zinc increases vomiting.

Conclusions

Zinc supplementation shortens acute diarrhoea in children over six months in settings at high risk of zinc deficiency, but there is not enough evidence on mortality or hospitalisation, and no benefit in younger infants.

Limitations

Most trials were conducted in Asian populations at high risk of zinc deficiency, limiting generalisability; certainty for mortality outcomes was very low.