BACKGROUND:Vitamin E and beta-carotene affect various measures of immune function and accordingly might influence the predisposition of humans to infections. However, only few controlled trials have tested this hypothesis. STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine whether vitamin E or beta-carotene supplementation affects the risk of pneumonia in a controlled trial. DESIGN AND SETTING: The Alpha-Tocopherol Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that examined the effects of vitamin E, 50 mg/d, and beta-carotene, 20 mg/d, on lung cancer using a 2 x 2 factorial design. The trial was conducted in the general community in southwestern Finland in 1985 to 1993; the intervention lasted for 6.1 years (median). The hypothesis being tested in the present study was formulated after the trial was closed. PARTICIPANTS: ATBC study cohort of 29,133 men aged 50 to 69 years, who smoked at least five cigarettes per day, at baseline. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The first occurrence of hospital-treated pneumonia was retrieved from the national hospital discharge register (898 cases). RESULTS:Vitamin E supplementation had no overall effect on the incidence of pneumonia (relative risk [RR], 1.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88 to 1.14) nor had beta-carotene supplementation (RR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.85 to 1.11). Nevertheless, the age of smoking initiation was a highly significant modifying factor. Among subjects who had initiated smoking at a later age (> or =21 years; n = 7,469 with 196 pneumonia cases), vitamin E supplementation decreased the risk of pneumonia (RR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.86), whereas beta-carotene supplementation increased the risk (RR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.89). CONCLUSIONS: Data from this large controlled trial suggest that vitamin E and beta-carotene supplementation have no overall effect on the risk of hospital-treated pneumonia in older male smokers, but our subgroup finding that vitamin E seemed to benefit subjects who initiated smoking at a later age warrants further investigation.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND:Vitamin E and beta-carotene affect various measures of immune function and accordingly might influence the predisposition of humans to infections. However, only few controlled trials have tested this hypothesis. STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine whether vitamin E or beta-carotene supplementation affects the risk of pneumonia in a controlled trial. DESIGN AND SETTING: The Alpha-TocopherolBeta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that examined the effects of vitamin E, 50 mg/d, and beta-carotene, 20 mg/d, on lung cancer using a 2 x 2 factorial design. The trial was conducted in the general community in southwestern Finland in 1985 to 1993; the intervention lasted for 6.1 years (median). The hypothesis being tested in the present study was formulated after the trial was closed. PARTICIPANTS: ATBC study cohort of 29,133 men aged 50 to 69 years, who smoked at least five cigarettes per day, at baseline. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The first occurrence of hospital-treated pneumonia was retrieved from the national hospital discharge register (898 cases). RESULTS:Vitamin E supplementation had no overall effect on the incidence of pneumonia (relative risk [RR], 1.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88 to 1.14) nor had beta-carotene supplementation (RR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.85 to 1.11). Nevertheless, the age of smoking initiation was a highly significant modifying factor. Among subjects who had initiated smoking at a later age (> or =21 years; n = 7,469 with 196 pneumonia cases), vitamin E supplementation decreased the risk of pneumonia (RR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.86), whereas beta-carotene supplementation increased the risk (RR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.89). CONCLUSIONS: Data from this large controlled trial suggest that vitamin E and beta-carotene supplementation have no overall effect on the risk of hospital-treated pneumonia in older male smokers, but our subgroup finding that vitamin E seemed to benefit subjects who initiated smoking at a later age warrants further investigation.
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
Authors: Philip T James; Zakari Ali; Andrew E Armitage; Ana Bonell; Carla Cerami; Hal Drakesmith; Modou Jobe; Kerry S Jones; Zara Liew; Sophie E Moore; Fernanda Morales-Berstein; Helen M Nabwera; Behzad Nadjm; Sant-Rayn Pasricha; Pauline Scheelbeek; Matt J Silver; Megan R Teh; Andrew M Prentice Journal: J Nutr Date: 2021-07-01 Impact factor: 4.798