查看文章

Anaemia caused by iron deficiency is common in children younger than age 5 years in eastern Africa. However, there is concern that universal supplementation of children with iron and folic acid in areas of high malaria transmission might be harmful.

We did a randomised, placebo-controlled trial, of children aged 1–35 months and living in Pemba, Zanzibar. We assigned children to daily oral supplementation with: iron (12·5 mg) and folic acid (50 μg; n=7950), iron, folic acid, and zinc (n=8120), or placebo (n=8006); children aged 1–11 months received half the dose. Our primary endpoints were all-cause mortality and admission to hospital. Analyses were by intention to treat. This study is registered as an International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial, number ISRCTN59549825.

The iron and folic acid-containing groups of the trial were stopped early on Aug 19, 2003, on the …