Daily Zinc but Not Multivitamin Supplementation Reduces Diarrhea and Upper Respiratory Infections in Tanzanian Infants: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although various micronutrient regimens have been shown to prevent and treat common infectious diseases in children, the effects of daily multivitamin (MV) and/or zinc supplementation have not been widely evaluated in young African infants.

Objective

The objective was to determine whether daily supplementation of HIV-unexposed Tanzanian infants with MVs or zinc reduces the risk of infectious morbidity compared with placebo.

Methods

In a 2 × 2 factorial, double-blind, randomized controlled trial, 2400 infants who were 6 wk of age and born to HIV-negative mothers in a low-malaria setting were randomly assigned to receive daily oral supplementation of MVs (vitamin B complex and vitamins C and E), zinc, zinc + MVs, or placebo for 18 mo. Morbidity was assessed b

SUBMITTER: McDonald CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4548161 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature