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7708843 
Journal Article 
Effect of zinc or zinc plus arginine supplementation on antibody titre and lymphocyte subsets after influenza vaccination in elderly subjects: a randomized controlled trial 
Provinciali, M; Montenovo, A; Di Stefano, G; Colombo, M; Daghetta, L; Cairati, M; Veroni, C; Cassino, R; Della Torre, F; Fabris, N 
1998 
Yes 
Age and Ageing
ISSN: 0002-0729
EISSN: 1468-2834 
27 
6 
715-722 
English 
10408666 
WOS:000077415700022 
OBJECTIVE: to evaluate whether oral supplementation with zinc or zinc/arginine increases the antibody response to influenza vaccine or modulates the lymphocyte phenotype in elderly subjects.

DESIGN: a randomized controlled trial with two supplemented groups and one control group.

SETTING: a community nursing home.

PARTICIPANTS: 384 subjects aged 64-100 (mean age 82 years) examined in three separate studies.

INTERVENTION: oral supplementation with zinc (400 mg/day) or zinc plus arginine (4 g/day) for 60 days starting 15 days before influenza vaccination. The control groups received vaccine only.

MEASUREMENTS: haematological and nutritional indices, antibody titre against influenza viral antigens, lymphocyte phenotype.

RESULTS: supplementation with zinc or zinc plus arginine increased zinc plasma concentrations restoring the age-related impairment in zinc concentrations to values found in younger people. The antibody titre against influenza viral antigens was not increased in zinc or zinc/arginine supplemented groups in comparison with subjects receiving vaccine alone. The number of CD3, CD4 or CD8 lymphocytes was not affected by zinc or zinc/arginine supplementation.

CONCLUSION: prolonged supplementation with zinc or zinc/arginine restores zinc plasma concentrations but is ineffective in inducing or ameliorating the antibody response after influenza vaccination in elderly subjects.