Judith M Graat1, Evert G Schouten, Frans J Kok. 1. Division of Human Nutrition and Epidemiology, Wageningen University, PO Box 8129, 6700 EV Wageningen, The Netherlands. Judith.Graat@staff.nutepi.wau.nl
Abstract
CONTEXT: Immune response in elderly individuals has been reported to improve after micronutrient supplementation. However, efficacy trials evaluating infectious diseases as outcomes are scarce and inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of daily multivitamin-mineral and vitamin E supplementation on incidence and severity of acute respiratory tract infections in elderly individuals. DESIGN: A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, 2 x 2 factorial trial. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 652 noninstitutionalized individuals aged 60 years or older enrolled from 2 community-based sampling strategies in the Wageningen area of the Netherlands, conducted from 1998 to 2000. At baseline, 6% of participants had suboptimal ascorbic acid and 1.3% had suboptimal alpha-tocopherol plasma concentration. INTERVENTION: Physiological doses of multivitamin-minerals, 200 mg of vitamin E, both, or placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence and severity of self-reported acute respiratory tract infections at 15 months, as assessed by a nurse (telephone contact), home visits, and microbiological and serological testing in subsets of patients. RESULTS: During a median observation period of 441 days, 443 (68%) of 652 participants recorded 1024 respiratory tract infection episodes. The incidence rate ratio of acute respiratory tract infection for multivitamin-mineral supplementation was 0.95 (95% confidence interval, 0.75-1.15; P =.58) and for vitamin E supplementation, 1.12 (95% confidence interval, 0.88-1.25; P =.21). Severity of infections was not influenced by multivitamin-mineral supplementation. For vitamin E vs no vitamin E, severity was worse: median (interquartile range) for illness-duration was 19 (9-37) vs 14 (6-29) days, P =.02; number of symptoms, 6 (3-8) vs 4 (3-8), P =.03; presence of fever, 36.7% vs 25.2%, P =.009; and restriction of activity, 52.3% vs 41.1%, P =.02. CONCLUSIONS: Neither daily multivitamin-mineral supplementation at physiological dose nor 200 mg of vitamin E showed a favorable effect on incidence and severity of acute respiratory tract infections in well-nourished noninstitutionalized elderly individuals. Instead we observed adverse effects of vitamin E on illness severity.
RCT Entities:
CONTEXT: Immune response in elderly individuals has been reported to improve after micronutrient supplementation. However, efficacy trials evaluating infectious diseases as outcomes are scarce and inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of daily multivitamin-mineral and vitamin E supplementation on incidence and severity of acute respiratory tract infections in elderly individuals. DESIGN: A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, 2 x 2 factorial trial. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 652 noninstitutionalized individuals aged 60 years or older enrolled from 2 community-based sampling strategies in the Wageningen area of the Netherlands, conducted from 1998 to 2000. At baseline, 6% of participants had suboptimal ascorbic acid and 1.3% had suboptimal alpha-tocopherol plasma concentration. INTERVENTION: Physiological doses of multivitamin-minerals, 200 mg of vitamin E, both, or placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence and severity of self-reported acute respiratory tract infections at 15 months, as assessed by a nurse (telephone contact), home visits, and microbiological and serological testing in subsets of patients. RESULTS: During a median observation period of 441 days, 443 (68%) of 652 participants recorded 1024 respiratory tract infection episodes. The incidence rate ratio of acute respiratory tract infection for multivitamin-mineral supplementation was 0.95 (95% confidence interval, 0.75-1.15; P =.58) and for vitamin E supplementation, 1.12 (95% confidence interval, 0.88-1.25; P =.21). Severity of infections was not influenced by multivitamin-mineral supplementation. For vitamin E vs no vitamin E, severity was worse: median (interquartile range) for illness-duration was 19 (9-37) vs 14 (6-29) days, P =.02; number of symptoms, 6 (3-8) vs 4 (3-8), P =.03; presence of fever, 36.7% vs 25.2%, P =.009; and restriction of activity, 52.3% vs 41.1%, P =.02. CONCLUSIONS: Neither daily multivitamin-mineral supplementation at physiological dose nor 200 mg of vitamin E showed a favorable effect on incidence and severity of acute respiratory tract infections in well-nourished noninstitutionalized elderly individuals. Instead we observed adverse effects of vitamin E on illness severity.
Authors: Sarah E Belisle; Davidson H Hamer; Lynette S Leka; Gerard E Dallal; Javier Delgado-Lista; Basil C Fine; Paul F Jacques; Jose M Ordovas; Simin Nikbin Meydani Journal: Am J Clin Nutr Date: 2010-05-19 Impact factor: 7.045
Authors: Simin Nikbin Meydani; Lynette S Leka; Basil C Fine; Gerard E Dallal; Gerald T Keusch; Maria Fiatarone Singh; Davidson H Hamer Journal: JAMA Date: 2004-08-18 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Omowunmi Aibana; Molly F Franke; Chuan-Chin Huang; Jerome T Galea; Roger Calderon; Zibiao Zhang; Mercedes C Becerra; Emily R Smith; Carmen Contreras; Rosa Yataco; Leonid Lecca; Megan B Murray Journal: J Nutr Date: 2018-01-01 Impact factor: 4.798