Original Article

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006) 60, 1207–1213. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602439; published online 3 May 2006

Vitamin B6 supplementation increases immune responses in critically ill patients

Guarantor: YC Huang.

Contributors: C-HC was responsible for the screening and intervention of subjects and interpretation of the results. S-JC was responsible for data coding, sample analyses, and statistical analyses. B-JL was responsible for the screening and intervention of subjects. K-LL was responsible for the hematological measurements. Y-CH was responsible for the development of intellectual content and the study design, interpretation of the results, and manuscript drafting.

C-H Cheng1, S-J Chang2, B-J Lee3, K-L Lin4 and Y-C Huang5

  1. 1Critical Care and Respiratory Therapy, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China
  2. 2Department of Nutrition, St Martin De Porres, Hospital, Chia-Yi, Taiwan, Republic of China
  3. 3Intensive Care Unit, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China
  4. 4Department of Clinical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China
  5. 5School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China

Correspondence: Dr Y-C Huang, No. 110 Sec 1 Chien-Kuo N. Rd., School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC 402. E-mail: ych@csmu.edu.tw

Received 30 August 2005; Revised 9 December 2005; Accepted 23 January 2006; Published online 3 May 2006.

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Abstract

Objective:

 

To investigate whether vitamin B6 supplementation has a beneficial effect on immune responses in critically ill patients.

Design:

 

A single-blind intervention study.

Setting:

 

The study was performed at the Taichung Veterans General Hospital, the central part of Taiwan.

Subjects:

 

Fifty-one subjects who stayed over 14 days in the intensive care unit completed the study. Subjects were not treated with any vitamin supplement before the intervention.

Interventions:

 

Patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups, control (n=20), a daily injection of 50 mg vitamin B-6 (B6-50, n=15), or 100 mg vitamin B-6 (B6-100, n=16) for 14 days.

Main outcome measures:

 

Plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), pyridoxal (PL), 4-pyridoxic acid (4-PA), erythrocyte alanine (EALT-AC) and aspartate (EAST-AC) aminotransaminase activity coefficient, and urinary 4-PA were measured. The levels of serum albumin, hemoglobin, hematocrit, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and immune responses (white blood cell, neutrophils, total lymphocytes count (TLC), T- (CD3) and B-(CD19) lymphocytes, T-helper (CD4) and suppressor (CD8) cells) were determined.

Results:

 

Plasma PLP, PL, 4-PA and urinary 4-PA concentrations significantly increased in two treated groups. T-lymphocyte and T-helper cell numbers and the percentage of T-suppressor cell significantly increased on day 14 in the B6-50 group. Total lymphocyte count, T-helper and T-suppressor cell numbers, the percentage of T-lymphocyte cells and T-suppressors significantly increased in the B6-100 group at the 14th day. There were no significant changes with respect to immune responses in the control group over 14 days.

Conclusions:

 

A large dose of vitamin B6 supplementation (50 or 100 mg/day) could compensate for the lack of responsiveness of plasma PLP to vitamin B6 intake, and further increase immune response of critically ill patients.

Sponsorship:

 

This study was supported by the National Science Council, Taiwan, Republic of China (NSC-92-2320-B-040-026).

Keywords:

pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, pyridoxal, immune responses, vitamin B6 supplementation, critically ill

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