MedPath

Effects of Iron Supplementation on Pediatric Vaccine Response

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Vaccination
Pediatric ALL
Iron-deficiency
Iron Deficiency Anemia
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: Iron syrup
Dietary Supplement: Multivitamin syrup
Registration Number
NCT04744818
Lead Sponsor
Jessica Rigutto
Brief Summary

ID/IDA affects many young children in Africa. Vaccines provide tremendous benefits in LMIC; however, they currently fail to reach their full potential. We need to better understand the causes of vaccine failure, in order to develop new strategies to improve vaccine immunogenicity.

This study will contribute to children's health by: (1) providing updated guidelines to better define the prevalence of ID/IDA in early infancy, and its safe and effective control using iron; and (2) providing a new approach to improve response to pediatric vaccines in LMIC, by ensuring adequate iron status at time of vaccination.

Detailed Description

Two major pediatric public health goals in LMIC are increasing immunization effectiveness and reducing ID/IDA in children. ID/IDA affects many young children in Africa. Current guidelines do not recommend routine testing of hemoglobin in early infancy, as it is generally believed that most infants are born with adequate iron stores to last 6 months. However, many African infants are born with low iron stores and ID/IDA may develop earlier than generally appreciated, within 2-3 months after birth. Vaccines provide tremendous benefits in LMIC; however, they currently fail to reach their full potential. We need to better understand the causes of vaccine failure, in order to develop new strategies to improve vaccine immunogenicity. Despite lower efficacy in LMIC, these vaccines provide a major benefit because the disease burden is so high; however, if approaches can be found to improve immunogenicity, these vaccines would be even more powerful.

For this study, 6 weeks old infants will be randomly assigned to two study groups. Group 1 will receive iron at time of pediatric vaccinations from age 6-24 weeks. Group 2 will receive no iron at time of pediatric vaccinations. All infants will receive a multivitamin syrup from age 6-24 weeks. All infants remaining ID/IDA at age 24 weeks will receive iron. Infants will be followed-up until age 52 weeks.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
288
Inclusion Criteria
  • Mother at least ≥15 years of age.
  • 6 weeks (+/- 3 days) of age
  • Iron deficient (erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) >61 μmol/mol heme)
  • With or without anemia, but not severely anemic (Hb >70 g/L)
  • No malaria
  • No medical condition that precludes study involvement
  • Mother HIV negative
  • Vaginal delivery
  • No iron supplementation prior to study enrolment
  • Not wasted (length for height z score of ≥-2)
  • Not underweight (weight for age z score ≥-2)
  • From the hospital record, term or late preterm delivery (≥34 weeks)
  • Full-time breastfed at least until the screening
  • No vaccines beyond the birth dose of OPV and BCG prior to enrolment
Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Immediate iron treatmentMultivitamin syrupIron and multivitamin syrup
Delayed iron treatmentMultivitamin syrupMultivitamin syrup
Immediate iron treatmentIron syrupIron and multivitamin syrup
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Pertussis antibody profilefrom 6 to 24 weeks
Diphtheria antibody profilefrom 6 to 24 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Calprotectin24 weeks of age

Gut inflammation

Proteomics52 weeks of age

Proteins involved in immune response

antiviral immunoglobulin G response24 weeks of age

Immunoassay

Hemoglobin52 weeks of age
Alpha-glycoprotein52 weeks of age
Haemophilus influenzae b antibody profilefrom 6 to 24 weeks
Rotavirus antibody profilefrom 6 to 24 weeks
Anti-vaccine antibody titers52 weeks of age
Anti-vaccine seroconversion52 weeks of age
Anti-vaccine antibody avidity index52 weeks of age

percentage of antibodies that remain bound to beads

infant antiviral immunoglobulin G response52 weeks of age

Immunoassay

C-reactive protein52 weeks of age
Tetanus antibody profilefrom 6 to 24 weeks
immune cell populations52 weeks of age

number and type of immune cells

Plasma ferritin52 weeks of age
Polio antibody profilefrom 6 to 24 weeks
Transcriptomics24 weeks of age

Genes involved in immune response

Intestinal fatty acid binding protein24 weeks of age

Gut inflammation

Plasma iron52 weeks of age
soluble transferrin receptor52 weeks of age
Pneumococcus antibody profilefrom 6 to 24 weeks

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Human Nutrition Laboratory ETH Zurich

🇨🇭

Zürich, Switzerland

Msambweni County Referral Hospital

🇰🇪

Msambweni, Kwale, Kenya

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath