Vitamin E May Reduce Some Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in...
Vitamin E May Reduce Some Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in...
Aug. 17, 2004 — Vitamin E may be beneficial for nursing home residents by preventing some from acquiring respiratory tract infections, according to the results of a randomized study published in the Aug. 18 issue of JAMA.
"Infections, particularly respiratory tract infections, are common in elderly individuals, resulting in decreased daily activity, prolonged recovery times, increased health care service use, and more frequent complications, including death," write Simin Nikbin Meydani, DVM, PhD, from Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues. "In the United States, an estimated 43% of elderly persons will be admitted to a nursing home, with more than 85% of them admitted to long-term care facilities. Infections occur more frequently in nursing home residents than among independent-living elderly."
From April 1998 to August 2001, 617 persons at least 65 years of age were enrolled from 33 long-term care facilities and were randomized to receive 200 international units (IU) of vitamin E or placebo daily for one year. All participants received a daily multivitamin containing 50% of the recommended daily allowance for essential micronutrients.
In 451 participants (73%) who completed the study, vitamin E did not significantly affect incidence or number of days with infection for all, upper, or lower respiratory tract infections. However, compared with the placebo group, the vitamin E group had fewer participants who acquired one or more respiratory tract infections (60% vs. 68% for all participants; risk ratio [RR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76 - 1.00; P = .048; and 65% vs. 74% for completing participants; RR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.75 - 0.99; P = .04). The results were similar for upper respiratory tract infections (44% vs. 52% for all participants; RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.69 - 1.00; P = .05; and 50% vs. 62% for completing participants; RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.66 - 0.96; P = .01).
A post-hoc analysis revealed that compared with the placebo group, participants in the vitamin E group had a lower incidence of common cold (0.67 vs. 0.81 per person-year; RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.68 - 1.01; P = .06 for all participants; and 0.66 vs. 0.83 per person-year; RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64 - 0.98; P = .04 for completing participants). Fewer participants in the vitamin E group acquired one or more colds (40% vs. 48%; RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.67 - 1.00; P = .05 for all participants; and 46% vs. 57%; RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64 - 0.96; P = .02 for completing participants). Vitamin E did not significantly affect antibiotic use.
"We found no effect of vitamin E supplementation on the incidence or duration of respiratory tract infections. However, significantly fewer vitamin E participants acquired one or more respiratory tract infections, which was more evident in [upper respiratory tract infections]," the authors write. "Common colds are frequent and associated with increased morbidity in this age group, and if confirmed, these findings suggest important implications for the well-being of the elderly."
The National Institute on Aging, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Agriculture supported this study, and Hoffman-LaRoche provided a grant for preparation of study capsules.
JAMA. 2004;292:828-836
Reviewed by Gary D. Vogin, MD
Aug. 17, 2004 — Vitamin E may be beneficial for nursing home residents by preventing some from acquiring respiratory tract infections, according to the results of a randomized study published in the Aug. 18 issue of JAMA.
"Infections, particularly respiratory tract infections, are common in elderly individuals, resulting in decreased daily activity, prolonged recovery times, increased health care service use, and more frequent complications, including death," write Simin Nikbin Meydani, DVM, PhD, from Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues. "In the United States, an estimated 43% of elderly persons will be admitted to a nursing home, with more than 85% of them admitted to long-term care facilities. Infections occur more frequently in nursing home residents than among independent-living elderly."
From April 1998 to August 2001, 617 persons at least 65 years of age were enrolled from 33 long-term care facilities and were randomized to receive 200 international units (IU) of vitamin E or placebo daily for one year. All participants received a daily multivitamin containing 50% of the recommended daily allowance for essential micronutrients.
In 451 participants (73%) who completed the study, vitamin E did not significantly affect incidence or number of days with infection for all, upper, or lower respiratory tract infections. However, compared with the placebo group, the vitamin E group had fewer participants who acquired one or more respiratory tract infections (60% vs. 68% for all participants; risk ratio [RR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76 - 1.00; P = .048; and 65% vs. 74% for completing participants; RR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.75 - 0.99; P = .04). The results were similar for upper respiratory tract infections (44% vs. 52% for all participants; RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.69 - 1.00; P = .05; and 50% vs. 62% for completing participants; RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.66 - 0.96; P = .01).
A post-hoc analysis revealed that compared with the placebo group, participants in the vitamin E group had a lower incidence of common cold (0.67 vs. 0.81 per person-year; RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.68 - 1.01; P = .06 for all participants; and 0.66 vs. 0.83 per person-year; RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64 - 0.98; P = .04 for completing participants). Fewer participants in the vitamin E group acquired one or more colds (40% vs. 48%; RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.67 - 1.00; P = .05 for all participants; and 46% vs. 57%; RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64 - 0.96; P = .02 for completing participants). Vitamin E did not significantly affect antibiotic use.
"We found no effect of vitamin E supplementation on the incidence or duration of respiratory tract infections. However, significantly fewer vitamin E participants acquired one or more respiratory tract infections, which was more evident in [upper respiratory tract infections]," the authors write. "Common colds are frequent and associated with increased morbidity in this age group, and if confirmed, these findings suggest important implications for the well-being of the elderly."
The National Institute on Aging, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Agriculture supported this study, and Hoffman-LaRoche provided a grant for preparation of study capsules.
JAMA. 2004;292:828-836
Reviewed by Gary D. Vogin, MD