Role of Zinc as Adjuvant Therapy in the Management of Pneumonia in Children of Age 2 Years to 5 Years

Objective: To evaluate the mean recovery time in pediatric pneumonia patients receiving zinc as an adjunct to standard treatment compared to those who do not receive zinc supplementation. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in pediatric unit of Islamabad Medical Complex Hospital, NESCOM Islamabad from January 2024 to July 2024. A total of 110 children of age 2-5 years admitted with pneumonia were included. In group Z; 15 mg Zinc twice daily was given as an adjuvant to standard treatment till the hospital stay of patient in the hospital or up-to 7 days after starting the treatment. In group C; only standard treatment of pneumonia was given. Time of recovery from pneumonia was the primary study outcome. Results: The mean age of participants was 3.32 ± 0.9 years in group Z and 3.55 ± 0.83 years in group C, with a p-value of 0.17. In terms of gender distribution, group Z comprised 34 female patients (61.8%), compared to 27 female patients (49.1%) in group C (p-value 0.25). Mean time of recovery was significantly lower in group Z in comparison to group C patients with mean recovery time of 32.27±6.38 hours in group Z and 52.61±6.96 hours in group C (p-value <0.0001). Conclusion: Zinc supplantation has a significant beneficial effect in enhancing recovery from pneumonia symptoms in hospitalized children. So, zinc supplementation can be added to the standard treatment regimen of pneumonia treatment.