COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF ORAL ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION VERSUS PROBIOTIC THERAPY IN REDUCING THE DURATION AND SEVERITY OF ACUTE DIARRHEA IN CHILDREN AGED 6 MONTHS TO 5 YEARS

Abstract

Background: The global burden of acute diarrhea in children under five remains a major public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Zinc supplementation and probiotics are widely used non-antibiotic therapies, each with proposed benefits in reducing the duration and severity of diarrheal episodes. Objectives: To compare the efficacy of oral zinc supplementation versus probiotic therapy in reducing the duration and severity of acute diarrhea in children aged 6 months to 5 years. Study Design & Setting: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Pediatrics Shaikh Zayed Hospital Lahore, over a period of  6 months.  Methodology: A total of 120 children aged 6 months to 5 years presenting with acute diarrhea were randomly assigned to two equal groups. Group A received oral zinc (20 mg/day for 10 days; 10 mg for infants <1 year), while Group B received a probiotic containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (10⁹ CFU/day for 5 days). Both groups received standard supportive care. Outcome measures included duration of diarrhea, daily stool frequency, severity grading, and adverse events. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0, with p<0.05 considered significant. Results: The mean duration of diarrhea was significantly shorter in the zinc group (3.1 ± 1.2 days) than in the probiotic group (3.8 ± 1.4 days; p=0.008). Stool frequency was lower in the zinc group (4.7 ± 1.1 vs. 5.2 ± 1.3; p=0.021), and a higher proportion experienced mild diarrhea (63.3% vs. 50%; p=0.014). Both treatments were well tolerated. Conclusion: Zinc supplementation proved more effective than probiotics in reducing the duration and severity of acute diarrhea in children under five.