Evaluating the efficacy of preventive influence of the dietary supplement Vitaglucan with immunocorrective and antioxidant properties in children with frequent acute respiratory infections

Abstract

Background. Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are one of the most common groups of diseases in pediatric practice. According to the latest statistics, 1/6 of the world’s population suffers from them in the inter-epidemic period. There is no specific prevention of ARI, which requires the search for effective non-toxic medicines of non-specific prevention, in particular those with immunocorrective and antioxidative effects. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the change in the number of ARI episodes in children administered Vitaglucan, a dietary supplement with immunocorrective properties, and to study the subjective indicators of the syrup intake satisfaction. Materials and methods. The study includes 943 children aged 3–18 years who had ≥ 6 episodes of ARI during the previous year (retrospective data from medical records). We have evaluated the change in the number of ARI episodes in children prescribed Vitaglucan, a syrup with immunocorrective properties containing β-glucan (from Pleurotus ostreatus) and sea buckthorn juice. Subjective indicators of syrup efficacy were assessed. Results. The results obtained indicate the presence of a pronounced preventive effect of the dietary supplement Vitaglucan on the occurrence of ARI in children both on the background of taking the syrup and during the epidemic period. Syrup tolerability, results of its administration were assessed as high, the parents also rated the effectiveness of the dietary supplement as high. Conclusions. Dietary supplement Vitaglucan can be included in the diet of children over 3 years of age as an additional source of β-glucan and biologically active substances of sea buckthorn.

Keywords

• acute respiratory infections, children, vitaglucan, immunocorrection, prophylaxis