ABSTRACT
Objective: Evaluation of effectiveness of zinc/ probiotics alone and in combination in children with acute diarrhoea
Place of Study: The study was conducted from May-Dec 2017 at Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Teaching Hospital Abbottabad
Methodology: Single centered, randomized controlled clinical trial was performed in 150 children of either sex [6 months -10 years] with acute diarrhoea having stool frequency of > 5semi liquid stools per day. Patients were divided into three groups with fifty children in each group on the basis of treatment modality given. Group A received zinc orally [1-2mg/kg/day for five days along ORS and/or IV fluids if required], Group B patients were given one to two sachets of probiotics /day [saccharomyces boulardii] according to age for five days + ORS and /or IV fluid while Group C was administered combination of zinc and probiotics for five days along with ORS and /or IV fluids. Response to treatment was determined on the basis of decrease in frequency of stools i.e. <3 formed stools /day after 72 hours of commencement of treatment. We have also studied the relationship between hygiene and food intake practices with the occurrence of diarrhoea in children
Results: Acute diarrhoea was found to be more prevalent in children with poor hygiene practices and using unboiled water. Among the treatment groups, at the end of 3rd day total of forty eight [96%] patients in group C had improved consistency of stools as well as decrease in diarrhoea frequency to less than three formed stools per day while in groups A and B thirty nine [78%] and sixteen [32%] patients respectively showed response to treatment in 72 hours
Conclusion: Combination of zinc + probiotics therapy is more effective in children with acute diarrhoea than either alone. Among the zinc and probiotics therapy, zinc is superior in terms of clinical efficacy than probiotics alone
ABSTRACT
Objective: Determination of the clinical effectiveness of ciprofloxacin versus ceftriaxone in children with enteric fever on the basis of defervescence within 72 hours of commencement of treatment
Duration and Place of Study: This randomized controlled trial was carried out from 15th May to 15th November 2017 in pediatrics units of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Teaching Hospital Abbottabad and Jinnah International Hospital Abbottabad
Methodology: 90 children with uncomplicated enteric fever were admitted and divided randomly into two groups, Group A was administered I/V Ceftriaxone 75mg/kg OD and Group B was given I/V Ciprofloxacin 10mg/kg BD for seven days. Response to drug was taken as defervescence within 72 hours while continued fever after 72 hours was taken as no response. The data was analyzed by using SPSS Version 21.00
Results: In our research study 53[58.9%] children were male and 37[41.1%] patients were female. The mean age was 8.43+/-3.17 years encompassing 4 to 14 years, mean weight of the patients in kg was 29.54+/-10.8 kg. Efficacy of ceftriaxone group was 93.3% while in ciprofloxacin group 62.2% patients became afebrile in 72 hours. The proportion of achieving defervescence within 72 hours was higher with ceftriaxone than with ciprofloxacin
Conclusion: Ceftriaxone is more efficacious in terms of achieving defervescence than ciprofloxacin in children having enteric fever