S. Turk et al., EFFECTS OF ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE IMMUNE-SYSTEM AND ON ANTIBODY-RESPONSE TO MULTIVALENT INFLUENZA VACCINE IN HEMODIALYSIS-PATIENTS, International journal of artificial organs, 21(5), 1998, pp. 274-278
The depression of the immune system in chronic uremia is a well-known
phenomenon but the role of serum zinc (Zn) levels on both cell-mediate
d and humoral immunity is still controversial. The aim of this study w
as to investigate the effect of Zn supplementation on the immune syste
m and on antibody response to multivalent influenza vaccine (MIV) in h
emodialysis patients (HP). Twenty-six HP and I I healthy subjects (HS)
were vaccinated with MIV: Hemodialysis patients were randomly divided
into two groups. Group 1 (13 HP) was supplemented with 120 mg ZnSO4 a
fter each dialysis session. Group 11 (13 HP) and Grouip III (11 HS) we
re given placebo. In all cases, the serum Zn levels, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD
19, HLA-DR+ cell percentages, CD4/CD8 ratio and CD3+HLA-DR+ cell perce
ntages were determined before and 30 days after vaccination. Antibody
levels to subgroups of MIV were also measured. All the baseline parame
ters studied were not statistically different between Group I and II.
However, there was a significant difference between the basal paramete
rs of Group III and the other two groups, except for CD3 and CD4 cell
percentages. Serum Zn, CD19 cell percentage and antibody levels to MIV
subgroups were significantly increased in Group I at the end of the f
irst month of the study (p<0.01, p<0.05, p<0.001, p<0.001, and p<0.01,
respectively), but the other parameters showed no significant changes
. The only significant change observed in Groups II and III was an inc
rease in antibody levels to MIV subgroups one month after vaccination.
Antibody levels to MIV subgroups, were not statistically different be
tween Groups I and II, but in Group III they were strikingly higher th
an those of HP (p<0.001). These results led us to conclude that Zn sup
plementation could not restore the immune parameters and enhance antib
ody response to MIV in HP.