Zinc Supplementation in Preterm Neonates and Neurological Development, A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To assess the effect of zinc supplementation on neuro-development and growth of preterm neonates.

Setting: Referral neonatal unit of a teaching hospital.

Design: Open-labeled Randomized controlled trial.

Participants: 100 preterm neonates.

Intervention: Participants randomized to receive oral zinc (study group) or not (controls).

Main Outcome Measures: Primary: Neuro-development status at 40 weeks post conceptional age and at 3 month corrected age using Amiel-Tison neurologic assessment. Secondary: anthropometry and serum alkaline phosphatase at 3 months corrected age.

Results: At 40 weeks post-conceptional age, greater number of zinc supplemented infants demonstrated alertness and attention pattern normal for their age (P=0.02). Higher number of controls showed signs of hyper-excitability at 40 week post-conceptional age (P=0.001) and 3 months corrected age (P=0.003). At 3 month corrected age, mean serum alkaline phosphatase level was significantly higher in the study group compared to controls.

Conclusion: Zinc supplementation till 3 month corrected age in preterm breastfed infants improves alertness and attention pattern; and decreases signs of hyperexcitability, and proportion with abnormal reflexes.