The Study
Zinc supplementation in preterm infants and growth indicators in a developing country
This study is like a fair test where half the babies got zinc and half got sugar pills, and then scientists checked who grew better. They found that the zinc babies had more zinc in their blood and gained more weight — but it didn't help them grow taller or their heads bigger. So we know zinc helped with one thing, but not everything.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Doctors gave tiny premature babies a daily zinc pill to see if it helped them grow better and stay healthier in the hospital.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 565 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — faster weight gain matters for survival and recovery in preemies, even if other growth measures didn't change.
- 2Babies who got zinc gained weight faster (9.06g/day vs 7.01g/day) and had higher zinc in their blood.
- 3But their length and head size didn't grow faster, and they didn't get fewer serious illnesses.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Paediatrica Indonesiana
Year
2023
Authors
Risma K Kaban, Henri Azis, T. Prawitasari, Ahmad Kautsar, Setya Dewi Lusyati, Nadia Dwi Insani
Related Content
Claims (5)
Giving preterm infants born between 28 and 32 weeks gestation 10 mg of oral zinc per day does not change how often they develop intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or retinopathy of prematurity before reaching 40 weeks post-menstrual age.
Preterm infants born between 28 and 32 weeks gestation who receive 10 mg of oral zinc daily for up to 40 weeks after their due date have higher serum zinc levels and faster weight gain compared to those who do not, with no observable side effects.
Giving preterm infants born between 28 and 32 weeks gestation 10 mg of zinc per day during their hospital stay does not increase their body length or head size by the time they reach 40 weeks post-menstrual age.
Preterm infants born between 28 and 32 weeks who receive 10 mg of oral zinc daily show higher blood zinc levels at 40 weeks post-menstrual age compared to infants who receive a placebo.
In preterm infants born between 28 and 32 weeks gestation, taking 10 mg of oral zinc daily during hospitalization until 40 weeks post-menstrual age does not cause vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, or hypersensitivity reactions.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.