title: Vitamin A supplementation enhances specific IgG antibody levels and total lymphocyte numbers while improving morbidity in measles.
abstract: The effect of vitamin A supplementation on selected factors of immunity was tested in African children (ages 4 to 24 months with complicated measles) during a randomized double-blind intervention trial. Placebo (n = 31) and treated groups (n = 29) had similar baseline characteristics. The supplemented group had significant reductions in morbidity (expressed as integrated morbidity scores) during the acute (Day 8, P = 0.006) and chronic (Day 42, P = 0.02; 6 months; P = 0.002) phases. In the treated group there was an increase in total number of lymphocytes (Day 42, P = 0.05) and measles IgG antibody concentrations (Day 8, P = 0.02), both of which have consistently been previously shown to correlate more closely with outcome in measles than other immunologic, clinical and radiologic factors. Interleukin 2 and plasma complement values were unaffected by vitamin A supplementation. These findings reinforce results from animal studies that show that the pathways of vitamin A activity in decreasing morbidity and mortality are partly founded on selective immunopotentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coutsoudis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kiepiela
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Coovadia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Broughton
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000187:drug effects*; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000187:drug effects*; D007223:Infant; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008457:Measles / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D009017:Morbidity; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D003176:Complement C3; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014801:Vitamin A