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Research: GIRODON and colleagues,
Listed in Issue 43
Abstract
GIRODON and colleagues, Scientific and Technical Institute for Foods and Nutrition, Conservatoire National des Arts et Mettiers, Paris, France write that although it is thought that antioxidant supplementation may improve immunity and reduce infectious morbidity, there are few large trials in elderly people which include endpoints for clinical variables. The authors researched the effects of long-term daily supplementation with the minerals zinc sulfate and selenium sulfide or vitamins beta carotene, vitamins C and E upon immunity and incidence of infections in institutionalised elderly people.
Background
Methodology
The authors conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo- controlled intervention study with 725 institutionalised elderly patients over 65 years of age, drawn from 25 geriatric centres in France. Patients received a daily oral supplement of trace elements ( zinc and selenium sulfide) or vitamins (beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E) or a placebo for a period of 2 years. The main outcome measures were delayed-type hypersensitivity skin response, humoral response to influenza vaccine and infectious morbidity and mortality.
Results
After 6 months of supplementation, correction of specific nutrient deficiencies was observed and maintained for the first year, during which there was no effect of any treatment on delayed-type hypersensitivity skin response. Following influenza vaccine, antibody titres were higher in groups which received trace elements alone or associated with vitamins; however the vitamin group had significantly lower antibody titres. The number of patients without respiratory tract infections throughout the study was higher in groups which received trace elements. Supplementation with neither trace elements nor vitamins significantly reduced incidence of urogenital infections. Survival analysis for the 2 years did not demonstrate any differences between the 4 groups.
Conclusion
Low-dose supplementation of zinc and selenium provides significant improvement in elderly patients by increasing the humoral response following vaccination and may have considerable public health importance by reducing morbidity from respiratory tract infections .
References
Girodon F et al. Impact of trace elements and vitamin supplementation on immunity and infections in institutionalized elderly patients: a randomized controlled trial. MIN.VIT.AOX.geriatric network. Archives of Internal Medicine 159(7): 748-54. Apr 12 1999.
