PAEDIATRICS
ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION DECREASES CHILDHOOD INFECTIONS
Researchers in the US analysed ten trials from nine developing
countries which assessed the effects of oral zinc in apparently
healthy children under 5 years of age. In the continuous
trials, pooled odds ratios for diarrhoeal incidence and
prevalence were 0.82 and 0.75 respectively, in the zinc-supplemented
group compared with controls. Children who took zinc supplements
also had an odds ratio of 0.59 for pneumonia. Although the
findings highlight the role of zinc supplementation in the
management of common infectious diseases in developing countries,
copper depletion and interactions with other micronutrients
have not been adequately studied. Also, zinc may be seen
as another magic bullet like vitamin A, leading to commercial
exploitation, which south Asian economies cannot afford.
Ahmad, K
LANCET 1999, 354 (9195) 2057
LACTOBACILLUS GG IN THE PREVENTION OF ANTIBIOTIC-ASSOCIATED
DIARRHOEA IN CHILDREN
Outpatient use of antibiotics is common in paediatrics
but certain antibiotics, especially those with a relatively
broad spectrum, frequently result in diarrhoea. The mechanism
by which antibiotic-associated diarrhoea occurs most likely
relates to disturbances of microbial flora in the gastrointestinal
tract. Disruption of the microbial flora may result in the
overgrowth of pathogenic organisms such as Clostridium difficile
or may disturb the metabolism of carbohydrates, resulting
in malabsorption of osmotically active particles. Therefore,
a study was carried out to determine the efficacy of Lactobacillus
casei sps. Rhamnosus (Lactobacillus GG) (LGG) in reducing
the incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea when co-administered
with an oral antibiotic. The study group consisted of 202
children between 6 months and 10 years of age. LGG or comparable
placebo was administered in a double-blind randomised trial
to children receiving oral antibiotics. It was found that
25 placebo-treated but only 7 LGG-treated patients had diarrhoea
as defined by liquid stools numbering 2 or greater per day.
Lactobacillus GG overall significantly reduced stool frequency
and increased stool consistency during antibiotic therapy
compared to placebo.
Vanderhoof, J.A. et al
J. PEDIATR. 1999, 135 (5) 564-8
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