In a quest to understand the role of zinc in treating bronchiolitis, we conducted a double-blind, randomized clinical trial involving 94 infants aged between 2 and 23 months. These infants, all admitted to Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan, Iran, were divided into three groups: one receiving just hypertonic saline, while the others got either vitamin D or zinc supplements alongside saline.
Throughout the study, we monitored several factors, including wheezing, respiratory distress, and the duration of hospitalization. Despite our hopes, we found no significant improvements related to zinc treatment. Specifically, the infants who received zinc showed respiratory rates, hospitalization times, and other symptoms quite similar to those in the control group who only received hypertonic saline.
Ultimately, our findings suggest that adding zinc to the treatment regimen for bronchiolitis does not yield any measurable benefits. This highlights the need for further research to discover effective treatments for this widespread condition in infants.