Fataki, MaulidiKisenge, RodrickSudfeld, ChristopherAboud, SaidOkuma, JamesMehta, SaurabhSpiegelman, DonnaFawzi, Wafaie2019-09-212014Fataki, M. R., R. R. Kisenge, C. R. Sudfeld, S. Aboud, J. Okuma, S. Mehta, D. Spiegelman, and W. W. Fawzi. 2013. “Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Duration of Hospitalization in Tanzanian Children Presenting with Acute Pneumonia.” Journal of Tropical Pediatrics 60 (2): 104–11. https://doi.org/10.1093/tropej/fmt089.0142-63381465-3664http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:41384688Background: Zinc supplementation prevents incident pneumonia in children; however, the effect for pneumonia treatment remains unclear. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of zinc supplements (daily 25 mg) adjunct to antibiotic treatment of radiology-confirmed acute pneumonia was conducted among hospitalized children (6-36 months) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Results: The trial was stopped early due to low enrollment, primarily owing to exclusion of children outside the age range and >3 days of prior illness. Among children enrolled (n = 94), zinc supplementation indicated no beneficial effect on the duration of hospitalization (IRR: 0.69; 95% CI 0.45-1.06; p = 0.09) or the proportion of children who were hospitalized for <3 days (RR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.57-1.25; p = 0.40) or <5 days (RR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.83-1.23; p = 0.92) (IRRs and RRs >1.0 favor zinc). CONCLUSIONS: Although underpowered, this randomized trial provided no evidence for a beneficial effect of zinc supplementation adjunct to antibiotics for hospitalized children.en-USJournal Article2019-09-2110.1093/tropej/fmt089