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Evidence summaries

Effect of Treatment of Intestinal Helminth Infection on Growth and Cognitive Performance in Children

Routine treatment of children with antihelminthics in areas where helminths are common appears to have a small effect on weight gain. Level of evidence: "B"

A systematic review 1 identified 30 RCTs with a total of more than 15 000 children. There was a slight weight gain after a single dose of any antihelminthic (0.24 kg, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.32 with fixed effects model; 0.38 kg, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.77 kg, random effects model). Results from studies on cognitive performance were inconclusive.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by indirectness of evidence (the beneficial effects of weight gain are uncertain).

    References

    • Dickson R, Awasthi S, Williamson P, Demellweek C, Garner P. Effects of treatment for intestinal helminth infection on growth and cognitive performance in children: systematic review of randomised trials. BMJ 2000 Jun 24;320(7251):1697-701. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords