Enhanced Lung Function and Prevention of Peroxidative Damage by Vitamin E Supplementation in Childhood Asthma

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the effects of vitamin E supplementation on the lung function and lipid peroxidation status of asthmatic children. Fifteen asthmatics (ten male and five female) aged between 6 and 13years, all in a stable state, were recruited from the paediatric out-patient respiratory clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba (LUTH). Three millilitres of blood was drawn from the antecubital vein of each of the 15 patients before vitamin supplementation for assessment of plasma lipid peroxidation products. Lung function tests were performed on each subject before vitamin supplementation. After all measurements have been made, each patient received vitamin E (Teva Pharmaceuticals, Tel-Aviv, Israel) supplementation at a dose of 100 I.U./day for 6 weeks. Thereafter, all previous measurements were repeated on each patient. Mean SBP after vitamin E supplementation reduced slightly (0.73%) from 97.0mmHg to 96.3mmHg. The DBP increased by (7.76%) from 58.0mmHg to 62.5mmHg. Pulse pressure reduced from 39mmHg to 33mmHg(15.39%). The MAP changed from 71.0mmHg to 73.07 mmHg (0.03%). These changes were not significant. However, after vitamin E supplementation the plasma MDA concentration was significantly reduced by 34.8% from 66.0+2.3 nmol/L to 43.0+2.9 nmol/L. FEV1 increased significantly from 1.24 ± 0.06 L to 1.39 ± 0.02 L after vitamin E supplementation. The PEFR and FVC increased slightly by 8.43% and 3.53% respectively. From the results, we therefore concluded that vitamin E supplementation may improve lung function and also supresses peroxidative damage in young asthmatics.

KEY WORDS: Vitamin E, lung function, childhood asthma.

Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol.4(1) 2005: 57-60