ClinicalTrials.gg
TerminatedNCT01472211Updated Jun 18, 2013

Water-based Zinc Intervention Trial in Zinc Deficient Children

An Early Phase 1 interventional study of zinc enriching filter (LifeStrawFamily) and placebo filter in Zinc Deficiency and Diarrhea, sponsored by Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Terminated at 1 site in Benin. Open to participants aged 2 Years to 5 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-06-18.

Sponsored by Swiss Federal Institute of Technology · Early Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

Why this study was terminated
Zn released from vehicle led to fortification levels higher than planned. New filter will be developed.
Phase
Early Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
317
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
2 Years to 5 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The overall aim of this trial is to determine whether the use of the household-based water treatment device Life Straw Family (LSF) can be an effective strategy to improve zinc status and health status of vulnerable populations in developing country rural settings with poor access to potable water.

To assess the effectiveness of the LSF strategy (a filter delivering purified and zinc enriched water) a double blind controlled field efficacy trial will take place over a period of 12 months in rural villages in the district of Natitingou, North-West Benin. In order to attain the research objectives the efficacy trial will envisage 3 arms: intervention (zinc enriching filter), placebo (filter) and control group (disinfection tables). During the trial the following outcomes will be monitored: zinc status and growth rate of the participating children, zinc status and pregnancy outcome in a sub-sample of pregnant women (pregnancy sub-study), diarrhea prevalence in all participating subjects, water quality, zinc enrichment of water, and modality and consistency of use of the LSF-device by the study population.

The study hypotheses are: 1) the use of the LSF-device will reduce microbiological contamination of the household water, 2) the use of the LSF-device will increase zinc intakes and serum zinc concentration in preschool children, 3) the use of the LSF-device will increase zinc intakes and serum zinc concentration in pregnant women, 4) the achievement of 1 and 2 will improve growth and lower frequency and length of diarrhea episodes in participating preschool children, 5) the achievement of 1 and 3 will improve pregnancy outcome and lower frequency and length of diarrhea episodes in participating pregnant women, 6) the use of the LSF-device will lower frequency and length of diarrhea episodes in participating households members.

02

Conditions studied

  • Zinc Deficiency
  • Diarrhea

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03

In context

Diarrhea

877 studies on the registry are indexed under Diarrhea; 76 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 317 is above the median of 137 across 738 interventional studies indexed under Diarrhea.

Browse Diarrhea studies →

Lead sponsor

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology is the lead sponsor of 154 studies on the registry; 10 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
2 Years to 5 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • 2-5 year old children
  • subjects residing in the study area for the whole study period

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • subject with severe anemia ( \< 7 g/dl)
  • subjects affected by chronic medical illnesses known to interact with zinc metabolism
  • subjects receiving zinc supplementation or other medicines that may affect zinc metabolism
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

05

Study design

Phase
Early Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
317 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    intervention filter

    children consuming purified and zinc enriched water delivered by a household-based water filter

    Device: zinc enriching filter (LifeStrawFamily)

  • Placebo comparator
    placebo filter

    children consuming purified water delivered by a household-based water filter

    Device: placebo filter

  • Active comparator
    disinfection tablets

    children will consume water treated with government promoted disinfection tablets (aquatabs)

    Other: disinfection tablets

Interventions

  • Devicezinc enriching filter (LifeStrawFamily)

    filter purifies water and enriches it with zinc at 1-4 mg/l.

    Also known as: LifeStrawFamily by Vestergaards-Frandsen (Switzerland)

  • Deviceplacebo filter

    filter purifies water

    Also known as: LifeStrawFamily by Vestergaards-Frandsen (Switzerland)

  • Otherdisinfection tablets

    government promoted tablets disinfect water

    Also known as: Aquatabs water purification tablets

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Zinc status

    At baseline, endpoint and at a randomly assigned screening between month 1 and 11, a 6 ml whole blood sample will be collected by venipuncture in 2-5y children (N=270). The blood sample will be used to determine concentration of zinc in the serum (SZn). Inflammation indicator C-reactive protein (CRP) will be analysed to adjust SZn values.

    Time frame: 12 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Gut microbiota characterisation

    At baseline and month 2, stool samples will be collected in 60 children (20 per study arm) for gut flora characterisation.

    Time frame: 2 months

  2. Iron status

    At baseline, endpoint and at a randomly assigned screening between month 1 and 11, a 6 ml whole blood sample will be collected by venipuncture in 2-5y children (N=270). The blood sample will be used to determine the levels of haemoglobin (Hb) and serum ferritin (SF) for the assessment of iron status.

    Time frame: 12 months

  3. Growth rate

    At baseline, midpoint and endpoint weight, height and MUAC will be measured in 2-5y children (N=270). Anthropometric measurements will be used to determine growth rate.

    Time frame: 12 months

  4. Diarrhea prevalence

    Study children will be weekly surveyed for diarrhea occurrence. Mothers/tutors will be requested to report any diarrhea episode occurred in the last 48 hours.

    Time frame: 12 months

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Hopital de Zone
    Natitingou, Atacora, Benin
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Galetti V, Mitchikpe CE, Kujinga P, Tossou F, Hounhouigan DJ, Zimmermann MB, Moretti D. Rural Beninese Children Are at Risk of Zinc Deficiency According to Stunting Prevalence and Plasma Zinc Concentration but Not Dietary Zinc Intakes. J Nutr. 2016 Jan;146(1):114-23. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.216606. Epub 2015 Nov 25. PubMed 26609168 ↗
09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
Not marked actual or estimatedDates not marked actual or estimated

The record gives a start of Sep 2011, a primary completion of Dec 2011 and a completion of Sep 2012. It does not say whether these dates are actual or estimated.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Nov 9, 2011
First posted
Nov 16, 2011
Start
Sep 2011
Primary completionActual
Dec 2011
CompletionActual
Sep 2012
Last update
Jun 18, 2013
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 18, 2013, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01472211
Collaborators
Université d'Abomey-Calavi
Responsible party
Prof. Michael B. Zimmermann (Prof, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 16, 2011
Start date
Sep 2011
Primary completion
Dec 2011
Completion
Sep 2012
Last update
Jun 18, 2013

Study contacts

Michael Zimmermann, Prof. Dr.med.
study chair · Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is terminated, as verified in Jun 2013. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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