DefinePK

Research Objective

To compare the efficacy of zinc as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of severe pneumonia in children between 2 months to 2 years of age.

Methodology

A case-control study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics, Mayo Hospital Lahore, from February 20, 2019, to August 20, 2019. Two hundred children aged 2 months to 2 years with severe pneumonia were selected and divided into two groups of 100 each. Group A received 20 mg of elemental zinc daily plus ampicillin and cloxacillin, while Group B received only ampicillin and cloxacillin. Efficacy was assessed by improvement in respiratory rate and absence of lower chest wall indrawing within 48 hours. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, with mean ± standard deviation for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables.

Methodology Flowchart

                        graph TD
    A["Select 200 children with severe pneumonia 2 months-2 years"] --> B["Divide into 2 groups"100 each""];
    B --> C["Group A: Zinc + Antibiotics"];
    B --> D["Group B: Antibiotics only"];
    C --> E["Administer 20 mg elemental zinc/day"];
    D --> F["No zinc administration"];
    E --> G["Monitor for improvement respiratory rate, chest indrawing"];
    F --> G;
    G --> H["Analyze data SPSS, Chi-square test"];
    H --> I["Compare efficacy between groups"];
    I --> J["Conclude on zinc's efficacy"];                    

Discussion

The study suggests that daily zinc administration as an adjuvant therapy alongside standard antimicrobial treatment for severe pneumonia in children aged 2 months to 2 years leads to a statistically significant improvement in clinical outcomes, specifically in respiratory rate and chest indrawing. The findings are supported by some previous studies, although there are conflicting results in the literature. The authors acknowledge limitations such as a small sample size and being a single-center study, recommending further large, multicenter studies.

Key Findings

In Group A (with zinc), 56% of infants showed improvement, while 44% did not. In Group B (without zinc), only 38% of infants showed improvement, while 62% did not. This difference in improvement was statistically significant (P Value = 0.010).

Conclusion

This study revealed a statistically significant efficacy for zinc in the resolution of severe pneumonia. Further research in diverse settings is needed to fully clarify the role and efficacy of zinc in treating severe pneumonia.

Fact Check

1. Study Period: The study was conducted from February 20, 2019, to August 20, 2019. (Confirmed in text)
2. Sample Size: A total of 200 cases were selected, divided into two groups of 100 each. (Confirmed in text)
3. Efficacy Improvement: In the zinc group (Group A), 56% showed improvement, compared to 38% in the non-zinc group (Group B). (Confirmed in text)

Mind Map