Red propolis supplementation does not decrease acute respiratory events in stunted preschool children: A paired nonrandomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of "red propolis" supplementation in the frequency of acute respiratory infections incidence in stunted preschool children. We hypothesized that the "red" propolis supplementation is effective in the reduce frequency of acute respiratory complications in stunted children. METHODS: This is a non-randomized, pair-matched clinical trial with 70 children, ranging from 1 to 5 years old, followed for 1 year, which were paired into two groups according to age, sex, and stunting classification. The children were in the day hospital regimen of CREN and received 5 meals/day and an additional 8 ml of honey or honey with "red propolis" in a 3% dilution. The children had access to nutritional, psychological, dental, and physician care. Respiratory complications were recorded in a pre-existing protocol of the institution by the same pediatrician, who was blind for the children's allocation. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical tests such as hemogram, IGF-1, and immunoglobulin E, G, M were conducted. RESULTS: The most prevalent symptoms were coughing, runny nose, nasal congestion and wheezing. The use of "red propolis" did not decrease the frequency of infections between the control and propolis groups, respectively (2 [1-7] vs 3 [1-7], p = 0.10), which was within the estimated by the Pan American Health Organization. There were no differences between groups in anthropometric and biochemical parameters. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with "red propolis" did not reduce the number of infections in stunted children over 1 year. Possibly, the dilution percentage (3%) may have been insufficient to allow effective action. The protocol of published in the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-4n7j6h).

Effects of iron supplementation versus dietary iron on the nutritional iron status: Systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

This meta-analysis compared the effects of dietary intervention versus iron supplementation on biochemical parameters related to the iron nutritional status in humans. The PubMed, CENTRAL, LILACS, SCIELO, OPENGREY.EU and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched for randomized clinical trials that assigned individuals to a dietary intervention or to an iron supplementation regimen, for 12 weeks or more. The primary outcome was the hemoglobin concentration, and secondary outcomes were ferritin, RDW, mean corpuscular volume, soluble transferrin receptor, total iron binding capacity, serum iron, and transferrin saturation. From the 6095 records identified, twelve studies were included, six with children, five with adolescents/adults, and one with pregnant women. In the subgroup of studies that included anemic/iron deficient children, supplementation significantly increased the hemoglobin concentration (weighted mean difference (WMD): 3.19 g/L [95% CI: 1.31, 5.07]) and induced a significantly greater reduction of the soluble transferrin receptor (WMD: -0.46 mg/L [95% CI: -0.70, -0, 21]), when compared to dietary intervention. It also induced a greater reduction of the total binding capacity of iron in adolescents/adults (WMD: -6.96 µmol/L [95% CI: -12.70, -1.21]). Supplementation showed a better effect on hemoglobin recovery in anemic/iron deficient children, while no differences were observed between supplementation and dietary intervention in treating adolescents/adults.

Fatores associados à não utilização de suplemento antianêmico por gestantes de alto risco de Alagoas, Brasil / Associated factors to non-use of antianemic supplementation by high risk pregnant women in Alagoas, Brazil

Introdução: Apesar das estratégias e da implementação de guias e políticas para o combate à anemia carencial terem sido adotadas há bastante tempo, a sua prevalência no país vem se mantendo elevada, especialmente em grupos especiais, sendo esta carência considerada um problema de saúde pública. Assim, o objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a prevalência e os fatores associados à não utilização de suplemento antianêmico por gestantes de alto risco de Alagoas. Método: Estudo transversal, realizado com gestantes assistidas no hospital universitário de Maceió, sendo estudadas variáveis socioeconômicas, de estilo de vida, antropométricas, e investigado o uso de suplementação ferrosa, com utilização da regressão de Poisson, e resultados expressos em razão de prevalência (RP) e intervalos de confiança (IC) de 95%. Resultados: Foram estudadas 210 gestantes na faixa etária de 13 a 43 anos de idade. O não uso de suplemento ferroso foi referido por 37,6% das mesmas, estando associado (gestantes que não utilizavam suplementação profilática versus gestantes que utilizavam suplementação profilática) ao baixo peso na gravidez, sendo, essa variável fator de proteção para esta condição (RP=0,47; IC de 95%= 0,24 a 0,93; p=0,030). Conclusão: A não utilização da suplementação antianêmica por parte de gestantes de alto risco de Alagoas é um problema de magnitude elevada, tornando evidente a necessidade de aumentar a cobertura da suplementação antianêmica entre elas.