Colostrum supplement, immune variables and hospital-acquired infection in acute respiratory failure: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study

Abstract

Background: Bovine colostrum has anti-microbial and immunomodulatory properties. We investigated the possibility of colostrum supplementation for managing hospital-acquired infections in critically ill patients. Materials & methods: Patients with enteral nutrition were randomly assigned to receive either colostrum 30 g daily in the intervention group or a similar amount of formula in the control group for ten days. Results: GEE-analysis showed that patients in the colostrum group (n = 45) had higher serum CD4 and CD8 protein levels by 0.33 ng/ml and 0.29 ng/ml respectively than the control group (n = 45) during the study period (P < 0.05). The increase of lymphocytes was higher in the colostrum group (ß= 322, P = 0.04).The incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (7% vs 16%) and clostridium difficile diarrhea (4% vs 22%) were significantly lower in the colostrum group than the control group. Conclusion: Colostrum increased lymphocytes and serum levels of CD4 and CD8 proteins and reduced the incidence of nosocomial infections.

Keywords

• Nosocomial infection
• Bovine colostrum
• Immunity
• T cells
• Pneumonia