The effect of vitamin A and zinc supplementation on treatment outcomes in pulmonary tuberculosis: a randomized controlled trial.

Study answer

What this study found

Vitamin A plus zinc did not improve bacteriologic treatment outcomes or short-term clinical recovery versus placebo over 8 weeks. Sputum smear conversion was 73% with micronutrients versus 60% with placebo, and culture conversion was 65% versus 51%, but these differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.15 and P = 0.38, respectively). Time-to-detection analysis also showed no significant between-group effect (group interaction P = 0.32), and weight gain was similar at 8 weeks (2.3 kg vs 2.2 kg; P = 0.68).

Study & population

Randomized controlled trial in adults with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis treated at a primary care TB clinic in Cape Town, South Africa.

Intervention

Adults in the active arm received oral vitamin A as retinyl palmitate 200,000 IU capsules plus oral zinc 15 mg as zinc gluconate, given with antitubercular therapy for 2 months.

Key limitation

The trial was short and modest in size, with differential attrition between groups that could affect precision and balance.

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Original abstract