Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41494015›Full record

Trial reportPloS one2026

Impact of improved stove intervention on infant acute respiratory infections: Results from a randomized trial in Northwest Ethiopia.

Habtamu Demelash Enyew, Abebe Beyene Hailu, Seid Tiku Mereta

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in PloS one, 2026. 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
–field-weighted citation impact
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

3 authors.

Habtamu Demelash EnyewDebre Tabor University, College of Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9381-2184
Abebe Beyene HailuJimma University, Institute of Health, Department of Environmental Health Science and Technology, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Seid Tiku MeretaJimma University, Institute of Health, Department of Environmental Health Science and Technology, Jimma, Ethiopia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGlobally, millions of young children affected by acute respiratory infections every year, which is the leading cause of death and serious illness among children. Though strategies, including promoting improved stoves, have been implemented to combat this public health challenge, the effectiveness of local improved stoves introduced during pregnancy in reducing household air pollution and related respiratory illnesses remains limited.

methodFollowing the main trial randomization, 343 infants born to mothers in the study groups were followed for six months, with assessments of acute respiratory infections (ARI) occurring every two months. The stove intervention's impact was evaluated by comparing the acute respiratory infection incidence rate between the intervention and control groups. Respiratory illnesses were assessed using Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) was estimated using a marginal Poisson model fitted via Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE).

resultDuring the six-month follow-up period, a total of 43 infants (18 intervention, 25 control) experienced at least one acute respiratory infection (ARI) episode, resulting in a cumulative incidence of 12% (95% CI: 10, 14%). Although the intervention group consistently showed a reduction in ARI incidence rates compared to the control group (a 20% reduction), the adjusted Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR = 0.81; 95%CI: 0.56, 1.16; P = 0.252) was not statistically significant. A non-significant trend toward benefit was noted overall, with the subgroup analyses suggesting promising, non-significant reductions primarily among female infants and infants from larger families.

conclusionThe overall study did not find a statistically significant protective effect of the intervention stoves on ARI incidence. However, the observed non-significant trend suggests a potential protective effect. Further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods is warranted to confirm this potential benefit.

trial registrationThe main trial was registered at the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry website under the code PACTR202111534227089, (https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/ (Identifier) on the registration date of (11/11/2021).

Indexed as

Air PollutionRespiratory Tract InfectionsAcute DiseaseEthiopiaFemaleHumansIncidenceInfantMalePregnancy

Identifiers

PMID41494015
PMCPMC12774370

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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.