To explore the preventive effect of zinc combined with montelukast on recurrent respiratory infection (RRI) in infants and their influences on immune function.

s 80 RRI infants in our hospital from February 2017 to June 2018 were randomly divided into observation group and control group, 40 cases in each group. Both groups were given routine anti-infective, expectorant, cough-relieving, and antipyretic treatment. The control group was treated with montelukast, and the observation group was given zinc on the basis of the control group. The clinical curative effect, number of onset, immune function, and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.

s The response rate of treatment in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (95.00% vs.80.00%) (P<0.05). The number of onset in the observation group was less than that in the control group within 3 months and 6 months (P<0.05). After treatment, the level of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in the observation group was higher than that in the control group, while the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and immunoglobulin M (IgM) in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions during treatment between the two groups (P>0.05).

Zinc combined with montelukast can effectively reduce and prevent the onset of RRI in infants, improve their immune function, with significant effect and high safety.

Recurrent respiratory infection; Infant; Zinc; Montelukast