lactoferrin and Fever

The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of a novel immune-enhancing enteral formula, Prem-8, which contains lactoferrin as an immunonutrient.. A multicenter, randomized controlled trial was conducted in 5 hospitals in Japan, and 71 tube-fed bedridden patients with serum albumin concentrations between 2.5 and 3.5 g/dL were allocated to Prem-8 (n = 38) or control formula (n = 33) groups for an observation period of 12 weeks.. Efficacy was evaluated by comparing immunological (natural killer cell activity, neutrophil-phagocytic activity, neutrophil-sterilizing activity, and C-reactive protein), and nutritional (anthropometric measurements and serum levels of nutritional assessment proteins and total cholesterol) variables. Safety was assessed by comparing the incidence of adverse events. In a secondary analysis, patients were subgrouped according to the amount of protein supplemented (1 g/kg/d) so that immunological and nutritional variables and safety could be further compared.. Natural killer activity and neutrophil functions were normal for both groups throughout the study period, without significant between-group differences at any point. Nutritional status was stably maintained in both groups, although the body mass index at 12 weeks was marginally lower in the Prem-8 group than in the control group (p < 0.01). The incidence of adverse events were comparable between both groups, but the incidence of fever in the Prem-8 group (7/14) was significantly lower than in the control group (10/11) in a subgroup of patients whose supplemented protein was less than 1 g/kg/d (p < 0.05).. Prem-8 did not demonstrate superiority to the control formula with respect to immunological and nutritional variables, whereas the body mass index of patients in the Prem-8 group marginally decreased. However, Prem-8 had a favorable effect on the incidence of fever in a subgroup of patients with low protein intake.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Infective Agents; Bed Rest; Body Mass Index; C-Reactive Protein; Dietary Proteins; Enteral Nutrition; Female; Fever; Food, Formulated; Humans; Japan; Killer Cells, Natural; Lactoferrin; Male; Middle Aged; Neutrophils; Nutritional Status; Serum Albumin

Neuronal involvement has been implicated in the pathophysiology of non-allergic and allergic rhinitis, contributing to the typical exacerbation of these conditions upon exposure to non-specific environmental irritants.. To determine if non-allergic and allergic rhinitis are characterized by increased responsiveness of the nasal mucosa to sensorineural stimulation.. Nasal challenges with capsaicin and its vehicle were performed in three groups of subjects -- non-allergic rhinitics, perennial allergic rhinitics, and healthy controls -- and resultant symptom scores, glandular secretion reflected by lactoferrin levels, and plasma extravasation reflected by albumin levels in nasal lavage fluid were compared.. Capsaicin-sensitive nerve stimulation produced increases in symptom scores and lactoferrin levels which were similar among the three groups of subjects. On the other hand, only the group of subjects with allergic rhinitis demonstrated a significant capsaicin-induced increase in albumin levels and a trend in total protein levels.. We conclude that non-allergic rhinitis is not characterized by increased responsiveness of capsaicin-sensitive nerve fibres; while allergic rhinitis is marked by hyperresponsiveness manifested as increased albumin leakage in nasal fluids. This may reflect the activity of an axonal reflex to sensorineural stimulation.

Topics: Administration, Intranasal; Adult; Albumins; Allergens; Capsaicin; Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea; Female; Fever; Humans; Lactoferrin; Male; Middle Aged; Nasal Mucosa; Neurons; Proteins; Rhinitis; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial; Tears

Effects of soluble recombinant human type I interleukin-1 receptor (sIL-1RI) were evaluated in 18 volunteers given intravenous endotoxin and randomized to placebo (n = 6), low-dose (n = 6), or high-dose (n = 6) sIL-1RI. Soluble IL-1RI decreased IL-1 beta (P = .001), but decreased IL-1ra (P = .0001), and resulted in 10-fold and 43-fold dose-related increases in sIL-1RI-IL-1ra complexes compared with placebo (P < or = .001). High-dose sIL-1RI was associated with increased levels of immunoactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha (P = .02), IL-8 (P = .0001), and cell-associated IL-1 beta (P = .047). C-reactive protein levels were higher after sIL-1RI than placebo (P = .035). Soluble IL-1RI decreased the severity of chills (P = .03), but did not alter other symptoms, changes in temperature, systemic hemodynamic responses, or changes in leukocyte and platelet number. Thus, sIL-1RI had no discernable antiinflammatory effect following endotoxin administration due in part to low levels of circulating IL-1 beta and neutralization of IL-1ra inhibitory function. This latter interaction represents an indirect mechanism of agonist activity elicited by sIL-1RI and may contribute to increases in inflammatory mediators, limiting therapy with sIL-1RI during endotoxemia.

Topics: Acute-Phase Reaction; Adult; Blood Cell Count; Cytokines; Endotoxins; Female; Fever; Gene Expression Regulation; Hemodynamics; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Inflammation; Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; Interleukin-1; Lactoferrin; Male; Peptide Fragments; Receptors, Interleukin-1; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Shivering; Sialoglycoproteins; Solubility; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Myelofibrosis (MF) is characterized by shortened survival and a greatly compromised quality of life. Weight loss and cachexia seem to be the most important factors influencing survival in patients with MF. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of an integrated supportive therapy in improving cachexia and MF-related symptoms.. We reported on a case of a patient with MF who presented with weight loss and cachexia associated with severe anemia, fatigue, fever, and bone pain. The circulating levels of inflammatory, oxidative stress parameters, hepcidin, and erythropoietin were evaluated and were above normal ranges. The patient was treated with a multitargeted approach specifically developed for cachexia including oral l-carnitine, celecoxib, curcumin, lactoferrin, and subcutaneous recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO)-α.. Surprisingly, after 1 y, cachexia features improved, all MF symptoms were in remission, and inflammatory and oxidative stress parameters, hepcidin, and EPO were reduced.. Because our protocol was targeted at inflammation and the metabolic state, its effectiveness may emphasize the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of MF symptoms and demonstrates a need for the study of new integrated therapeutic strategies.

Topics: Anemia; C-Reactive Protein; Cachexia; Carnitine; Celecoxib; Curcumin; Erythropoietin; Fatigue; Ferritins; Fever; Hepcidins; Humans; Interleukin-6; Iron; Lactoferrin; Male; Middle Aged; Oxidative Stress; Patient Compliance; Primary Myelofibrosis; Quality of Life; Reactive Oxygen Species; Recombinant Proteins; Treatment Outcome; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Weight Loss

The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in oral-respiratory mucosal immunity and the incidence, severity and duration of upper respiratory symptoms (URS) episodes in endurance athletes during a 16-week winter training period. Blood was collected from 210 subjects (147 men and 63 women) at the start and end of the study for determination of differential leukocyte counts. Timed collections of unstimulated saliva were obtained at the start and at 4-week intervals during the study period. Saliva samples were analysed for salivary antimicrobial peptides and proteins (AMPs). Weekly training and daily illness logs were kept using validated questionnaires. Training loads averaged 11 h/week of moderate-vigorous physical activity and were not different for males and females. The salivary concentration of lysozyme and lactoferrin (both P < 0.04) but not salivary immunoglobulin A (SIgA) or amylase were higher in males than females. Saliva flow rates were significantly higher in males than females (P < 0.03) and consequently so were the salivary secretion rates of lysozyme, lactoferrin and amylase (all P < 0.01) but not SIgA (P = 0.097). Total blood leukocyte, monocyte and lymphocyte counts were not different between the sexes but females had higher numbers of circulating neutrophils (P = 0.040). The average number of URS episodes was 0.6 +/- 0.8 (mean +/- SD) in males and 0.8 +/- 1.0 in females (P = 0.103) and the number of URS days was higher in females (4.7 vs 6.8 days, P < 0.02). The duration of URS episodes was longer in females (11.6 vs 15.5 days, P < 0.03). The findings of this study concur with recent reports of illness incidence at major competitive games indicating that female athletes may be more susceptible than their male counterparts to URS and that lower oral-respiratory mucosal immunity may, in part, account for this.

Topics: Amylases; Anthropometry; Athletes; Disease Resistance; Exercise; Female; Fever; Humans; Immunity, Mucosal; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; Incidence; Lactoferrin; Leukocyte Count; Male; Medical Records; Mouth; Muramidase; Musculoskeletal Pain; Physical Endurance; Respiratory System; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Saliva; Salivary Proteins and Peptides; Secretory Rate; Sex Characteristics; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult

Fever suggests the likelihood of severe microbial infection. Abnormal temperature, tachycardia, tachypnea, and abnormal white blood cell counts define the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). In 300 hospitalized medical patients with fever, we determined clinical variables and procalcitonin, elastase-alpha1-antitrypsin, and lactoferrin levels in plasma. Of the patients, 71% had clinical infection (by clinical judgment) and 44% had microbial infection (by microbiological testing). SIRS occurred in 95%, and the 28-day mortality rate was 9%. The sensitivity for predicting microbial infection, bacteremia, and mortality was less but the specificity was greater for supranormal procalcitonin, elastase-alpha1-antitrypsin, and lactoferrin levels than for SIRS. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for microbial infection was higher for procalcitonin and elastase-alpha1-antitrypsin levels than for clinical variables and lactoferrin level. The AUC for bacteremia was also higher for inflammatory factors (>0.70; P < .001) than for clinical variables. The AUC for mortality (P < .05) was 0.79 for the respiratory rate, 0.69 for elastase-alpha1-antitrypsin level, 0.65 for heart rate, 0.61 for procalcitonin level, and 0.60 for white blood cell count. In febrile medical patients, plasma procalcitonin and elastase-alpha1-antitrypsin levels may predict microbial infection and bacteremia better than (and mortality as well as) do clinical symptoms.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; alpha 1-Antitrypsin; Bacteremia; Bacterial Infections; Calcitonin; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Female; Fever; Humans; Lactoferrin; Leukocyte Elastase; Male; Middle Aged; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Protein Precursors

Ivermectin is a safe and effective drug for onchocerciasis treatment. In certain individuals, however, therapy is accompanied by adverse reactions. The mechanisms underlying these reactions are not yet known. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether neutrophils are involved in the development of these adverse reactions. Elastase and lactoferrin, two markers for the release of neutrophil azurophilic and specific granule contents respectively, were measured by radioimmunoassays in plasma of onchocerciasis patients with varying degrees of side effects, as well as in control subjects before and 1 and 2 days after ivermectin treatment. A considerable increase of elastase levels after treatment was observed, whereas lactoferrin levels did not change. The percentage of patients with elevated elastase levels was significantly correlated with the degree of side effects. These findings suggest that neutrophil activation may be involved in the development of adverse reactions in these patients.

Topics: alpha 1-Antitrypsin; Cell Degranulation; Drug Eruptions; Fever; Humans; Ivermectin; Lactoferrin; Lymphadenitis; Neutrophils; Onchocerciasis; Pancreatic Elastase; Pruritus

The prevention of enterogenic infection by human lactoferrin was tested in five neutropenic patients receiving chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia. Lactoferrin did not significantly delay the onset of infection but reduced its duration and severity as judged from the course of fever. Compared with nine matched controls, lactoferrin-treated patients had a lower incidence of bacteremia on the whole and of gram-negative bacteremia in particular.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Agranulocytosis; Female; Fever; Humans; Lactoferrin; Lactoglobulins; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; Male; Middle Aged; Neutropenia; Sepsis

Topics: Animals; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Conalbumin; Fever; Fungi; Humans; Hydroxamic Acids; Immunity; Infections; Iron; Lactoferrin; Mycoses; Protein Binding; Transferrin