COMPARISON BETWEEN EFFICACY OF PRO-BIOTICS AND ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION IN PREVENTION OF ACUTE WATERY DIARRHEA IN CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS

Abstract

Objective: To compare the efficacy of oral pro-biotics and zinc supplementation given to children less than 5 years of age for prevention of acute watery diarrhea by studying the mean duration and frequency of the disease

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pediatrics, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from Jan 2023-Jun 2023.

Methodology: Patients in Group Z received 20 mg elemental zinc as Zinc sulphate syrup per day in 4 divided doses. Patients in Group P received 2 pro-biotic tablets daily (age >1 year) mixed with yogurt or sachets mixed in milk (age <1 year). Primary variables studied were mean number of diarrhea episodes at 24-, 48- and 72-hour intervals and frequency of patients with non-resolving acute diarrhea after 72 hours.

Results: Mean number of diarrhea episodes at 24 hours on treatment showed 6.80±0.69 episodes in Group Z versus 6.80±0.70 episodes in Group P (p=1.00). When seen at 48 hours on treatment, mean diarrheal episodes were 3.82±0.75 in Group Z versus 6.62±0.48 episodes in Group P (p<0.001), the episodes were 0.67±0.47 in Group Z versus 3.97±0.66 episodes in Group P when observed at 72 hours (p<0.001). Number of patients still having episodes of persistent diarrhea were 03 (3.3%) Group Z versus 32 (35.6%) in Group P when seen after 72 hours on treatment

Conclusion: Zinc supplementation results in decreased stool frequency, better recovery, less hospital stay, and better satisfaction rates compared with pro-biotic supplementation.