[L-arginine and immunity. Study of pediatric subjects].
BACKGROUND
Nitric oxide (NO) play a pivotal role in many biological processes, as in the vessel tone control, the atherogenesis, the platelets aggregation and the immune system modulation. The physiologic precursor of NO is the L-arginine. Evidence exists that the L-arginine administration can stimulate immune system in children with recurrent infections. This clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effects of oral administration of L-arginine on the number of infective events and on the lymphocytes subsets in children suffering from airways recurrent infections.


METHODS
Forty outpatients, 21 male and 19 female, aging from 2 to 13 yrs. Two balanced groups, treated for 60 days with L-arginine or a placebo. Evaluation criteria: number of septic episodes; number of circulating white blood cells, % of the lymphocytes; lymphocytes subsets.


METHODS
Descriptive analysis; inference tests: chi 2; "t" test; variance analysis. Statistical significance: p = 0.05.


RESULTS
Fifteen patients treated with L-arginine and five treated with placebo (p < 0.01) were free from infections. The percentage of CD3 and CD4 subsets significantly (p < 0.05) increased in the L-arginine group than in the placebo group, while the CD8 subset significantly decreased. The CD4/CD8 ratio raised from 1.05 +/- 0.29 to 1.51 +/- 0.46 (p < 0.01) in the L-arginine group, from 1.12 +/- 0.16 to 1.27 +/- 0.24 in the placebo group. There were no side effects in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
L-arginine seems able to increase the immune system defences and to protect against the airway infections.
Baligan
M
M
Dipartimento di Pediatria, Ospedale Maggiore C. A. Pizzardi, Bologna.
Giardina
A
A
Giovannini
G
G
Laghi
M G
MG
Ambrosioni
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D001120:Arginine / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D012008:Recurrence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine