title: Effect of L-arginine on immune function: a meta-analysis.
abstract: L-arginine plays an important role in immune regulation by affecting the immune response and inflammation. This meta-analysis was performed to assess whether L-arginine supplementation could improve the outcomes of immune function, and to evaluate the safety of L-arginine supplementation. Four databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library) for all randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of supplementation with L-arginine published from 1966 to September 2013 were searched. The quality of controlled trials was assessed with the Jadad method. Meta-analyses were performed with fixed- or random-effects models according to heterogeneity of studies. Data from 11 trials involving 321 patients were enrolled. Meta-analysis showed that the L-arginine supplement group had a significantly greater CD4⁺ T-cell proliferation response (MD 5.03; 95% CI 1.11, 8.95; p<0.05), and that the incidence of infectious complications was lower (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.17, 0.95; p<0.05) than control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, East Hospital, Tong Ji University School of Medicine, No 150, Jimo Road, Pudong District, Shanghai, 200120, China. shuxiaoliang@vip.sina.com.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Xiao-Liang
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Jing-Xia
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Ting-Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D001120:Arginine / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D001120:Arginine