Investigating the Efficacy of Zinc and Vitamin A in Treating Pediatric Community-Acquired Pneumonia.
| Autor: | Atta A; Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Nishtar Medical University, Multan, PAK., Aftab A; Pharmacology, Al Nafees Medical College and Hospital, Islamabad, PAK., Shafqat A; Physiology, HBS (Hazrat Bari Imam Sarkar) Medical College, Islamabad, PAK., Yousuf MH; Emergency Department, Imam Clinic, Karachi, PAK., Ahmed A; Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ziauddin University Hospital, Karachi, PAK., Pirzada H; Pharmacology, Bakhtawar Amin Medical College, Multan, PAK., Khalid H; Internal Medicine/Dermatology, Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, PAK., Hastings NE; School of Medicine, St. George's University, St. George's, GRD. |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Zdroj: | Cureus [Cureus] 2024 Jan 13; Vol. 16 (1), pp. e52197. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jan 13 (Print Publication: 2024). |
| DOI: | 10.7759/cureus.52197 |
| Abstrakt: | Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) poses a significant global health challenge, even more so for children less than five years old. Nutritional interventions, such as zinc and vitamin A supplementation, are gaining attention for their therapeutic potential in enhancing recovery and minimizing pneumonia severity in pediatric patients. Objective: To assess the therapeutic benefits of zinc and vitamin A supplementation in pediatric CAP patients under five years old and to advocate for their use in clinical settings. Methodology: Three groups were formed in a randomized controlled trial conducted from October 2022 to September 2023, to address zinc and vitamin A supplementation in pediatric patients under five years old in the intensive care unit with severe pneumonia. Group 1 received zinc supplementation, group 2 received vitamin A supplementation, and group 3 served as the control group, receiving antibiotic treatment exclusively for pneumonia. This treatment comprised either a β-lactam (amoxicillin-clavulanate, commonly referred to as Augmentin) administered orally at 500 mg/125 mg three times a day, Augmentin 875 mg/125 mg orally twice daily, or Augmentin 2000 mg/125 mg orally once daily. Additionally, the control group received a macrolide (azithromycin or clarithromycin) or doxycycline at a dosage of 100 mg orally twice daily. Linear regression analysis identified statistically significant decreases in both length of hospital stay and active pneumonic effusion. Results: The study encompassed 90 pediatric pneumonia patients with an age range of six to 55 months. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that both vitamin A and zinc led to a significant decrease in hospitalization length by 2.39 days (p < 0.01, 95% CI: 4.19-0.47) and 3.17 days (p < 0.01, 95% CI: 5.19-1.31), respectively. In comparison to the control group, both the vitamin A and zinc supplementation groups were linked to a shorter pneumonic effusion duration (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Both interventions significantly reduced the duration of hospitalization (2.39 days for vitamin A and 3.17 days for zinc) and pneumonic effusion compared to the control group. These findings highlight the potential of zinc and vitamin A as valuable additions to standard CAP treatment regimens, potentially leading to improved clinical outcomes and reduced healthcare burdens. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. (Copyright © 2024, Atta et al.) |
| Databáze: | MEDLINE |
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