BOSTONZinc plays an important role in immune function. Researchers at TuftsUniversity set out to determine whether serum zinc concentrations in nursing home elderly are associated with the incidence and duration of pneumonia, total and duration of antibiotic use, and both pneumonia-associated and all-cause mortality (Amer J Clin Nutr. 2007; 86.4:1167-73). The study was conducted in residents from 33 nursing homes in Boston, MA, who participated in a one-year randomized, double blind, and placebo-controlled vitamin E supplementation trial. All subjects were given daily doses of 50 percent the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of essential vitamins and minerals, including zinc. Participants with baseline (n = 578) or final (n = 420) serum zinc concentrations were categorized as having low (less than 70 mcg/dL) or normal (70 mcg/dL) serum zinc concentrations. Outcome measures included the incidence and number of days with pneumonia, number of new antibiotic prescriptions, days of antibiotic use, death due to pneumonia, and all-cause mortality. Compared to subjects with low zinc concentrations, subjects with normal final serum zinc concentrations had a lower incidence of pneumonia, fewer new antibiotic prescriptions, a shorter duration of pneumonia and fewer days of antibiotic use. Normal baseline serum zinc concentrations were associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality.
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