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Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Growth of Low Birth Weight Infants Aged 1–6 Mo in Ardabil, Iran

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Abstract

Objective

To assess the effect of zinc supplementation on growth of low birth weight (LBW) infants aged 1–6 mo.

Methods

LBW infants were enrolled at birth and randomly assigned to receive 5 mg elemental Zn per day (n = 45) or placebo (n = 45) until 6 mo of age. They were followed monthly for information on compliance; anthropometric measurements were performed monthly.

Results

After randomization, 5 infants from zinc group and 9 from placebo group were excluded. At 6 mo of age, significantly greater weight gains were observed in the zinc than in the placebo group (4995 ± 741g in zinc group vs. 3896 ± 865 g in placebo group, p=0.036). Length gain during the study period improved in zinc group (16.9 ± 8.2 cm vs. 15.1 ± 4.1 cm, p=0.039); after zinc supplementation head circumference were increased (8.7 ± 1.4 cm vs. 7.4 ± 1.5 cm p < 0.001). In male infants, total weight gain and height and head circumference gain were higher in the zinc than in the placebo group. However, only head circumference change was statistically significant. A similar trend was observed among female infants, but these differences were not statistically significant. There was no significant relation between breast-feeding status and the main outcome variables.

Conclusions

Infants in the present study showed improvements in growth rate, but more studies are required in this field to confirm this fact.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the parents who participated in the study and field team, including nurses and other support staff who assisted in the study. They thank Dr Hamid Rajabi for preparing the supplement and placebo.

Contributions

AN: conducted the research design, data analysis and prepared first draft of the manuscript; BM: involved in infant visit as a specialist to prescribe zinc supplementation and monitoring the infants, and reviewed manuscript. SHSM: coordinator of the project and provided monthly visit to record measurements of growth and also involved in data entry and analysis and revised the final manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

None.

Role of Funding Source

This study was supported by the Research Fund of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil Iran.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Nayyereh Aminisani

  2. Paediatrics group, Faculty of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Arabil, Iran

    Manuchehr Barak

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Seyed Morteza Shamshirgaran

Authors
  1. Nayyereh Aminisani
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  2. Manuchehr Barak
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  3. Seyed Morteza Shamshirgaran
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seyed Morteza Shamshirgaran.

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Aminisani, N., Barak, M. & Shamshirgaran, S.M. Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Growth of Low Birth Weight Infants Aged 1–6 Mo in Ardabil, Iran. Indian J Pediatr 78, 1239–1243 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-011-0541-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-011-0541-7

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