Table 4.

Randomized controlled trials on zinc and HIV progression.

Reference	Population, in- and exclusion criteria	Intervention and follow-up	Primary outcomes	Major findings	Conclusions
Mocchegiani 1995 [59]	Italy, 57 AZT treated patients. At risk or developed AIDS.	Zinc (45 mg) for 30 days.	Incidence opportunistic infections, body weight.	Reduction opportunistic infections, stabilization or increase body weight, CD4 count, thymulin.	Zinc increases CD4 count.
Bobat 2005 [62]	South Africa, 96 ART naïve children.	Daily zinc (10 mg) for 6 months.	CD4 count, viral load and diarrhea incidence.	No difference in CD4 count or viral load but a reduction in watery diarrhea.	Zinc safe among children with HIV.
Fawzi 2005 [63,64]	Tanzania, 400 ART naïve pregnant women.	Daily zinc (25 mg) additional to multivitamin 1 until 6 weeks after delivery.	CD4 count, viral load and MTCT.	No effects on CD4 count, viral load and MCTC but adverse effects on haemoglobin level and an increase risk of wasting.	Zinc has no impact on HIV progression and may cause adverse effects.

MTCT = Mother to child transmission; 1. Micronutrient supplement included vitamin B1 20 mg , vitamin B2 20 mg, vitamin B6 25 mg, vitamin B3 100 mg, vitamin B12 50 μg, vitamin C 500 mg and folic acid 0.8 mg.