[01] Muhammad Mazhar Iqbal, Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan. [02] Fazal Dad, Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan. [03] Saleem Khan, Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan. [04] Ijaz Habib, Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan.

A randomized control study was conducted to evaluate the effect of zinc and probiotic supplementation on health outcomes of hospitalized malnourished children under five with diarrhea. A total of 40 subjects were enrolled for this study and divided into four groups consisting 10 subjects in each. The study was conducted in nutrition rehabilitation unit (NRU) established at pediatric ward govt. Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) Peshawar Pakistan. The biochemical parameters including red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), platelets, hemoglobin, sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride and anthropometric measurement including weight, height, OFC and z-score values were analyzed at different intervals. Repeated measure analysis was used followed by post hoc bonferroni test for multiple comparisons at 5% level of significance. The group-1 and group-3 children received zinc syrup Osiris (zinc sulphate), dosage 50 mg/day along with F-75 and F-100 therapeutic milk. Similarly, the group-2 and group-3 children received probiotics enterogermina oral suspension (1 impulse/day). Significant improvement has been observed in RBC’s mean level (p<0.05) in children consumed zinc and probiotic supplements compared to control group. Similar increase was also observed in the platelets and sodium mean level significantly (p<0.05) compared to mixed group respectively. However, weight gain of malnourished children was also increased significantly (p<0.05). The mean age of the children was 22.6000±15.88990 and 63.4% of the families were living in joint family system, 85.4% of mothers were illiterate, the mean income per month was PKR: 12000. Medical history include diarrhea, consistency of watery stool, semi watery, blood in stool, mucus in stool, vomiting and dehydration were 100%, 85.4%, 12.2%, 12.2%. 14.6% 9.8% and 75.6% respectively. Similarly, the means weight, height/length, Z-score and occipital frontal circumference (OFC) of the children were 6.09±1.23, 71.30±6.23, 3.50±0.52 and 43.30±2.16 respectively. The bottle-feeding and improper dilution were found a strong predictor for causing diarrhea, with the increase in episodes of diarrhea and more chances of infections were exposed. The finding on breastfeeding showed a positive relation for the occurrence of diarrhea within the families. It was concluded that Zinc and probiotics therapy in recovery of admitted malnourished children play significant role in their health promotion.

Zinc, Probiotics Supplementation, Diarrhea, Hospitalized Malnourished Children

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