Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40069676›Full record

Trial reportBMC pediatrics2025

Evaluating the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine in diminishing the duration and frequency of rotavirus-induced gastroenteritis: a preliminary randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

Behrooz Heydari, Majid Aflatonian, Mina Bagherizadeh, Farahnaz Hoseinzade, Fatemeh Saghafi

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC pediatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Behrooz HeydariDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and health services, Yazd, Iran.
Majid AflatonianDepartment of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran.
Mina BagherizadehPharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and health services, Yazd, Iran.
Farahnaz HoseinzadePharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and health services, Yazd, Iran.
Fatemeh SaghafiDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran. saghafi.fa@gmail.com.

Funding

Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences 85
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGlobally, gastroenteritis stands as a primary contributor to child mortality, annually taking the lives of 3 million children under the age of 5 years. Rotavirus, a major factor in viral diarrhea among children aged 6 months to 2 years, presents with severe symptoms such as watery diarrhea and vomiting. Although mortality rates have decreased due to supportive care and vaccines, promising alternatives like N-acetylcysteine (NAC) show potential benefits in laboratory studies, indicating a possible supplementary strategy for managing rotavirus infections by reducing the duration and antigen excretion in feces.

methodsDuring this double-blind clinical trial, 71 patients, confirmed to have gastroenteritis resulting from rotavirus using a rapid diagnostic strip, were randomly allocated to two groups. One group was prescribed NAC at a dosage of 60 mg/kg/day, while the other received a placebo. The patient's progress was monitored daily until their gastroenteritis improved, and details regarding the duration of diarrhea and the frequency of bowel movements were recorded for each participant.

resultsThe average duration of diarrhea in the NAC group and the placebo group was 2 and 3 days, respectively, with a level of p = 0.121. During the diarrhea period, the number of bowel movements in the NAC group was recorded at 28.1 ± 21.6 times, whereas in the placebo group, it was 35.3 ± 33.1 times, yielding a p-value of 0.409.

conclusionsEven though the effects of NAC were observed in lowering the duration of the period and decreasing the frequency of bowel movements in gastroenteritis, these results did not reach statistical significance. Hence, the data from this study suggest that NAC may not effectively reduce the duration of diarrhea and the frequency of bowel movements linked to gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus.

trial registrationIRCT20181208041882N13, 14-10-2023 ( https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/trial/68259 ).

Indexed as

AcetylcysteineGastroenteritisRotavirus InfectionsChild, PreschoolDiarrheaDouble-Blind MethodFecesFemaleHumansInfantMaleRotavirusTime FactorsTreatment OutcomeAcetylcysteineChildrenClinical trialDiarrheaGastroenteritisN-acetylcysteineRotavirus

Identifiers

PMID40069676
PMCPMC11900640

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.