What do systematic reviews say?

Polaprezinc vs Azulene

Polaprezinc led to lower oral mucositis (severe) compared with azulene; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.09 [0.01, 0.65]
  1 study · 31 participants
  GRADE not reported

Zinc supplementation in pregnant women vs supplementation without zinc or placebo to reduce stunting

Zinc supplementation in pregnant women showed no clear difference in length (cm) at birth compared with supplementation without zinc or placebo to reduce stunting (moderate certainty).

• Nutritional interventions for preventing stunting in children (birth to 59 months) living in urban slums in low‐ and… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 1337 participants
  Moderate

Zinc supplementation in pregnant women vs supplementation without zinc or placebo to reduce stunting

• Nutritional interventions for preventing stunting in children (birth to 59 months) living in urban slums in low‐ and… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 237 participants
  Low

Zinc supplementation in pregnant women vs supplementation without zinc or placebo to reduce stunting

Zinc supplementation in pregnant women showed no clear difference in low birth weight (g) compared with supplementation without zinc or placebo to reduce stunting (moderate certainty).

• Nutritional interventions for preventing stunting in children (birth to 59 months) living in urban slums in low‐ and… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 1367 participants
  Moderate

Zinc chloride + sodium chlorite mouthrinse (TriOral) vs Control mouthrinse (containing neither zinc chloride nor sodium chlorite)

• Mouthrinses for the treatment of halitosis 2008 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 weeks
  Codipilly 2004: precise data could not be extracted (results presented as graph plots). Reported VSC reductions from baseline for zinc chloride + sodium chlorite (TriOral): 55% (P < 0.01) at 2 weeks and 60% (P < 0.01)…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Zinc chloride + sodium chlorite mouthrinse (TriOral) vs Control mouthrinse (containing neither zinc chloride nor sodium chlorite)

• Mouthrinses for the treatment of halitosis 2008 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 weeks
  Codipilly 2004: only indirect surrogate salivary organoleptic scores were reported (not organoleptic breath scores); no accurate deductions could be made from the reported values.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Zinc + copper vs placebo

• Vitamin and mineral supplementation for maintaining cognitive function in cognitively healthy people in mid and late… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 1072 participants
  Moderate

Zinc + copper vs placebo

• Vitamin and mineral supplementation for maintaining cognitive function in cognitively healthy people in mid and late… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 1072 participants
  Low

Zinc sulphate vs placebo

Zinc sulphate led to lower oral mucositis (severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.05 [0, 0.75]
  1 study · 27 participants
  GRADE not reported

Zinc sulphate vs placebo

Zinc sulphate led to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.36 [0.18, 0.71]
  1 study · 27 participants
  GRADE not reported

Zinc sulphate vs placebo

Zinc sulphate showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (any severity) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.88 [0.69, 1.11]
  1 study · 27 participants
  GRADE not reported

Abrasive candy; abrasive candy + 2% propolis; abrasive candy + 0.5% zinc gluconate vs Abrasive candy + 1% propolis + 0.25% zinc

• Interventions for managing halitosis 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Barak 2012 (5-arm RCT) compared abrasive candy, abrasive candy with propolis and abrasive candy with zinc gluconate versus abrasive candy with propolis and zinc; VSC measured by halimeter. We could not use the results…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Zinc vs placebo

• Interventions for managing taste disturbances 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Results: Matson 2003 used zinc sulphate for testing taste discrimination (sip and spit method); the trial did not report the details of the placebo group and thus the results could not be meta-analysed. Not GRADE-rated.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Zinc vs placebo

Zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate,… showed no clear difference in taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (continuous) -… compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing taste disturbances 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Chronic renal failure
  Results (Mahajan 1980, chronic renal failure; Analysis 1.3): mean difference by taste sensation - salt MD 285 (95% CI 238.75 to 331.25); sweet MD 190 (142.36 to 237.64); sour MD 10 (-16.43 to 36.43); bitter MD 2.40…
  1 study · 22 participants
  GRADE not reported

Zinc vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate,… changes taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (continuous) - taste… compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing taste disturbances 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 months · Children with chronic renal failure
  MD 2.50 [0.93, 4.07]
  1 study · 14 participants
  Very low

Zinc vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate,… changes taste acuity improvement - patient-reported outcome compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing taste disturbances 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Mean 3 months · Zinc-deficient/idiopathic taste disorder
  RR 1.40 [0.94, 2.09]
  2 studies · 119 participants
  Very low

Zinc vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate,… changes taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (continuous) - taste… compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing taste disturbances 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 months · Children with chronic renal failure
  MD 3.00 [0.66, 5.34]
  1 study · 14 participants
  Very low

Zinc vs placebo

• Interventions for managing taste disturbances 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Results (health-related quality of life): None of the studies reported data on health-related quality of life. Heckmann 2005 (zinc) reported that signs of depression were less severe (Beck Depression Inventory P<0.05;…
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Zinc vs placebo

Zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate,… led to higher taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (dichotomous) - chronic… compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing taste disturbances 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Chronic renal failure
  RR 25 [1.65, 379.57]
  1 study · 24 participants
  GRADE not reported

Zinc vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate,… changes taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (continuous data) compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Interventions for managing taste disturbances 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Mean 3 months · Idiopathic dysgeusia
  SMD 0.44 [0.23, 0.65]
  3 studies · 366 participants
  Very low