Infection and immunity in Down syndrome: a trial of long-term low oral doses of zinc.
To determine whether orally administered zinc supplements could correct the abnormal humoral and cell-mediated immunity of Down syndrome, we randomly assigned 64 children with Down syndrome, aged 1 to 19 years and living at home, to receive either zinc gluconate or placebo daily for 6-month periods with crossover from one regimen to another. Control subjects were siblings and age-matched, unrelated children. Serum zinc, copper, and measures of immune system competence were tested at 3- or 6-month intervals. Parents kept daily logs of clinical symptoms such as cough and diarrhea and of physician visits. Mean serum zinc concentrations increased to about 150% of baseline during zinc supplementation, but we found no effect on serum levels of copper, immunoglobulins, or complement; on lymphocyte number or subset distribution; or on in vitro response to mitogens. Children with Down syndrome who were receiving zinc had a trend toward fewer days or episodes of cough and fever but no change in other clinical variables. Long-term, low-dose oral zinc supplementation to improve depressed immune response or to decrease infections in children with Down syndrome cannot be recommended.
Lockitch
G
G
Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Puterman
M
M
Godolphin
W
W
Sheps
S
S
Tingle
A J
AJ
Quigley
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011897:Random Allocation; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D007136:Immunoglobulins; D003300:Copper; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D015032:Zinc