Cochrane · systematic review · CD005436
Oral zinc for treating diarrhoea in children
Lazzerini, M, Wanzira, H · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2016 · Cochrane Library
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
15
current version
GRADE rated
15
No studies
0
Included studies
NR
No studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 7 · 46.7%Low 4 · 26.7%Moderate 4 · 26.7%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Current version only'Summary of findings' table 1
Population: children with acute diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Duration of diarrhoea | no estimate extracted | 9 studies · 2581 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Diarrhoea on day 7 | RR 0.73 [0.61, 0.88] | 6 studies · 3865 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, indirectness |
Number of children hospitalized (community trials only) | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 276 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Death | RR 0.29 [0.04, 2.2] | 4 studies · 1134 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Adverse events (vomiting) | RR 1.57 [1.32, 1.86] | 6 studies · 2605 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
'Summary of findings' table 2
Population: children aged less than 6 months with acute diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Duration of diarrhoea | MD 5.23 | 2 studies · 1334 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency |
Diarrhoea on day 7 | RR 1.24 [0.99, 1.54] | 1 study · 1074 participants | Low Downgraded: inconsistency, indirectness |
Number of children hospitalized (community trials only) | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 1074 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision |
Death | RR 1 [0.06, 15.89] | 2 studies · 1334 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Adverse events (vomiting) | RR 1.54 [1.05, 2.24] | 2 studies · 1334 participants | Moderate |
'Summary of findings' table 3
Population: children with persistent diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Duration of diarrhoea | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 529 participants | Moderate Downgraded: indirectness |
Diarrhoea on day 7 | RR 0.52 [0.27, 1.02] | 2 studies · 221 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Hospitalization | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 275 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Death | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 402 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Adverse events (vomiting) | RR 1.97 [0.37, 10.59] | 4 studies · 505 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Summary of findings table 1
Population: children with acute diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Death | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 864 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Hospitalization | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 891 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Duration of diarrhoea | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Diarrhoea on day 7 | RR 0.73 [0.61, 0.88] | 6 studies · 3865 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, indirectness |
Adverse events (vomiting) | RR 1.56 [1.32, 1.85] | 5 studies · 2340 participants | High |
Summary of findings table 2
Population: children aged < 6 months with acute diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Death | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 1334 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Hospitalization | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 1074 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Duration of diarrhoea | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 1334 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Diarrhoea on day 7 | RR 1.24 [0.99, 1.54] | 1 study · 1074 participants | Moderate Downgraded: indirectness |
Adverse events (vomiting) | RR 1.54 [1.05, 2.24] | 2 studies · 1334 participants | High |
Summary of findings table 3
Population: children with persistent diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Death | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 402 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Hospitalization | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 275 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Duration of diarrhoea | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 529 participants | Moderate Downgraded: indirectness |
Diarrhoea on day 7 | RR 0.52 [0.27, 1.02] | 2 studies · 221 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Adverse events (vomiting) | RR 1.97 [0.37, 10.59] | 4 studies · 505 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Summary of findings table 1
Population: children with acute diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Death | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 864 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Hospitalization | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 891 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Duration of diarrhoea | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Diarrhoea on day 7 | RR 0.73 [0.61, 0.88] | 6 studies · 3865 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, indirectness |
Adverse events (vomiting) | RR 1.56 [1.32, 1.85] | 5 studies · 2340 participants | High |
Summary of findings table 2
Population: children aged < 6 months with acute diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Death | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 1334 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Hospitalization | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 1074 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Duration of diarrhoea | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 1334 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Diarrhoea on day 7 | RR 1.24 [0.99, 1.54] | 1 study · 1074 participants | Moderate Downgraded: indirectness |
Adverse events (vomiting) | RR 1.54 [1.05, 2.24] | 2 studies · 1334 participants | High |
Summary of findings table 3
Population: children with persistent diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Death | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 402 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Hospitalization | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 275 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Duration of diarrhoea | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 529 participants | Moderate Downgraded: indirectness |
Diarrhoea on day 7 | RR 0.52 [0.27, 1.02] | 2 studies · 221 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Adverse events (vomiting) | RR 1.97 [0.37, 10.59] | 4 studies · 505 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness |
Zinc compared to placebo for children with acute diarrhoea
Population: children with acute diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Diarrhoea duration (h) hours Zinc vs placebo | no estimate extracted | 17 studies · 4242 participants | Moderate Downgraded: inconsistency |
Diarrhoea on day 3 Zinc vs placebo | RR 0.77 [0.67, 0.89] | 4 studies · 1568 participants | Moderate Downgraded: inconsistency |
Diarrhoea on day 5 Zinc vs placebo | no estimate extracted | 4 studies · 1646 participants | Low Downgraded: inconsistency |
Diarrhoea on day 7 Zinc vs placebo | RR 0.82 [0.72, 0.94] | 13 studies · 5528 participants | Moderate Downgraded: inconsistency |
Stool frequency (stools /day) (Copy) Zinc vs placebo | no estimate extracted | 9 studies · 2323 participants | High |
Mortality (Copy) number of death Zinc vs placebo | RR 0.3 [0.03, 2.92] | 4 studies · 1885 participants | Low Downgraded: inconsistency |
Adverse events (vomiting) (Copy) Zinc vs placebo | RR 1.59 [1.27, 1.99] | 12 studies · 5189 participants | Moderate Downgraded: inconsistency |
Zinc compared to placebo for children with persistent diarrhoea
Population: children with persistent diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Diarrhoea duration (h) Zinc vs placebo | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 529 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Diarrhoea on day 7 Zinc vs placebo | RR 0.52 [0.27, 1.02] | 2 studies · 221 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Mortality Zinc vs placebo | RR 0.19 [0.02, 1.55] | 3 studies · 402 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias |
Adverse events (vomiting) Zinc vs placebo | RR 1.97 [0.37, 10.59] | 4 studies · 505 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
zinc compared to placebo for children < 6 months with acute diarrhoea
Population: children < 6 months with acute diarrhoea
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Diarrhoea duration (h) zinc vs placebo | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 1334 participants | Moderate |
Diarrhoea on day 7 zinc vs placebo | RR 1.24 [0.99, 1.54] | 3 studies · 1074 participants | Moderate |
Stool frequency (stools /day) zinc vs placebo | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 1334 participants | High |
Adverse events (vomiting) zinc vs placebo | RR 1.54 [1.05, 2.24] | 3 studies · 1334 participants | Moderate |