title: Dietary supplementation and immunocompetence in housebound elderly subjects.
abstract: Immune function, particularly cell-mediated immunity (CMI), declines with age and it has been suggested that this may be secondary to the impaired nutritional status often found in the elderly. In the present study a balanced nutritional supplement consisting of several macro- and micro-nutrients was administered daily to 27 housebound elderly (aged 70-85 years) for 12 weeks. Thirty-one matched subjects served as a control group. Delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity (DCH) to seven recall antigens was measured using the Mérieux Multitest CMI device and total numbers of lymphocytes, B-cells, T-cells and T-cell sub-populations were determined using monoclonal antibodies. These tests and several indices of nutritional status were measured before and at the end of the 12-week study. Before supplementation 19% of the entire group of subjects were anergic and another 19% hypoergic, values greater than expected for healthy elderly subjects. A weak association (P = 0.056) was shown between plasma zinc concentration and the number of positive skin test responses. Supplementation had minimal effect on DCH, resulting in a significant (P < 0.05) increase only in the sum of positive indurations. Pre-study numbers of total lymphocytes and lymphocyte sub-populations were as expected for healthy elderly subjects, but a correlation was found between plasma selenium concentrations (mean 1.07, range 0.64-1.66 mumol/l) and the numbers of CD4 lymphocytes (P < 0.01). Supplementation did not result in a significant change in any of the lymphocyte populations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, England, UK.
authors.forename: V W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Bunker
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Stansfield
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deacon-Smith
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Marzil
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hounslow
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Clayton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005526:Food, Formulated; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence / Q000502:physiology*; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000178:diet therapy*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D009752:Nutritional Status
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens