Rapid review protocol: Zinc for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 and other coronavirus-related respiratory tract infections

Jennifer Hunter; Susan Arentz; Joshua Goldenberg; Guoyan Yang; Jennifer Beardsley; Dominik Mertz; Stephen Leeder

Integrative Medicine Research (Sep 2020)

Rapid review protocol: Zinc for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 and other coronavirus-related respiratory tract infections

Jennifer Hunter,
Susan Arentz,
Joshua Goldenberg,
Guoyan Yang,
Jennifer Beardsley,
Dominik Mertz,
Stephen Leeder

Affiliations

Jennifer Hunter: NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia; Corresponding author at: NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Westmead Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW, 2751, Australia.
Susan Arentz: NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
Joshua Goldenberg: Helfgott Research Institute, National University of Natural Medicine, Portland, OR, USA
Guoyan Yang: NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
Jennifer Beardsley: NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia; Helfgott Research Institute, National University of Natural Medicine, Portland, OR, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Menzies Centre for Health Policy, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Dominik Mertz: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Stephen Leeder: Menzies Centre for Health Policy, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 3
p. 100457

Abstract

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Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has prompted an urgent search for effective interventions. SARS-CoV-2 mortality/morbidity risk increases with age and for those chronic disease co-morbidities, both of which are associated with lower zinc status, as is the risk of infection. Methods: Rapid review methods will be applied to a systematic review of zinc for the prevention or treatment of SARS-CoV-2 and viral respiratory tract infections in humans. Included are published studies reporting randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials that compare zinc intervention to placebo and/or other comparator interventions. English and Chinese language databases will be searched for primary studies of viral respiratory tract infections and clinical trial registries for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Due to concerns about indirectness, studies evaluating non-SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections will be rated down by one level, and non-specific or confirmed non-coronavirus viral infections will be rated down by two levels. Review constraints include (1) using Google translate when screening articles published in languages other than English or Chinese and limited translation (2) following calibration, only one reviewer will screen articles, extract data, appraise quality and conduct the analysis, (3) prioritising data extraction and meta-analyses of SARS-CoV-2 studies and critical outcomes of other viral infections, followed by high risk groups and (4) reporting important preliminary findings prior to peer review if necessary. Discussion: The application of these rapid review methods and broadening the inclusion criteria to include other coronavirus-related viral respiratory tract infections aims to enable a timely evidence appraisal of priority research questions and dissemination of results. Study registration: PROSPERO CRD42020182044.

Published in Integrative Medicine Research

ISSN: 2213-4220 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Other systems of medicine: Miscellaneous systems and treatments
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/integrative-medicine-research/

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