Effectiveness and efficacy of zinc for the treatment of acute diarrhea in young children.

Unlabelled: Intervention trials have shown that zinc is efficacious in treating acute diarrhea in children of developing countries. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we assessed the effectiveness and efficacy of giving 3 Recommended Daily Allowances of elemental zinc to 6- to 35-month-old children with acute diarrhea.

Methods: Seventeen hundred ninety-two cases of acute diarrhea in Nepalese children were randomized to 4 study groups.