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Effects of Oral Iron Supplementation on Vaccine Response in Iron Deficient Kenyan Women

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Iron Deficiency Anemia
Interventions
Biological: COVID-19 vaccine
Dietary Supplement: Oral iron supplementation (pre-treatment)
Biological: MenACWY vaccine
Dietary Supplement: Oral iron supplementation (simultaneous treatment)
Biological: Typhim Vi vaccine
Registration Number
NCT05919472
Lead Sponsor
Prof Simon Karanja
Brief Summary

Iron deficiency (ID) anemia (IDA) is a global public health problem, with the highest prevalence in Africa. Vaccines often underperform in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC), and undernutrition, including ID, likely plays a role. Recent studies have shown the importance of iron status in vaccine response. Intravenous iron given at time of vaccination improved response to yellow fever and COVID-19 vaccines in IDA Kenyan women. Whether oral iron treatment would have a similar beneficial effect on vaccine response is uncertain. Also, timing of oral iron treatment needs further investigation.

The co-primary objectives of this study are to assess 1) whether IDA in Kenyan women impairs vaccine response, and whether oral iron treatment improves their response; 2) the timing of oral iron treatment to improve vaccine response (prior to vaccination vs at time of vaccination).

We will conduct a double-blind randomized controlled trial in southern Kenya to assess the effects of iron supplementation on response to three single-shot vaccines: Johnson \& Johnson COVID- 19 (JJ COVID-19), the quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) and the typhoid Vi polysaccharide vaccine (Typhim Vi). Women with IDA will be recruited and randomly assigned to three study groups: group 1 (pre- treatment) will receive 100 mg oral iron as ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) daily on days 1-56; group 2 (simultaneous treatment) will receive matching placebo daily on days 1-28, and 200 mg oral iron as FeSO4 daily on days 29-56; and group 3 (control) will receive matching placebo daily on days 1-56. Women in all groups will receive the JJ COVID-19 vaccine, the MenACWY and the Typhim Vi vaccine on day 28. Cellular immune response and serology will be measured at 28 days after vaccination in all groups.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
180
Inclusion Criteria
  • Willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the trial
  • Female aged 18-49 years
  • Moderate anemia (Hb <110 g/L, but not severely anemic with Hb <80 g/L) • Iron deficient (ZnPP >40 mmol/mol haem)
  • Anticipated residence in the study area for the study duration
Exclusion Criteria
  • Major chronic infectious disease (e.g., HIV infection);
  • Major chronic non-infectious disease (e.g., Type 2 diabetes, cancer);
  • Chronic medications;
  • Use of iron-containing mineral and vitamin supplementation 2 weeks prior to study start;
  • COVID-19 vaccine or confirmed COVID-19 infection within the past 2 years
  • MenACWY vaccine in the past
  • Typhoid vaccine in the past
  • Pregnant (confirmed by rapid test during screening) or lactating.
  • Malaria (confirmed by rapid test) à study start will be postponed

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Control groupMenACWY vaccineParticipants assigned to this group will receive placebo on alternate days on study days 1-56.
Simultaneous treatment groupOral iron supplementation (simultaneous treatment)Participants assigned to this group will receive placebo on alternate days on study days 1-28 and 200 mg oral iron on alternate days on study days 29-56.
Control groupCOVID-19 vaccineParticipants assigned to this group will receive placebo on alternate days on study days 1-56.
Control groupTyphim Vi vaccineParticipants assigned to this group will receive placebo on alternate days on study days 1-56.
Simultaneous treatment groupCOVID-19 vaccineParticipants assigned to this group will receive placebo on alternate days on study days 1-28 and 200 mg oral iron on alternate days on study days 29-56.
Simultaneous treatment groupMenACWY vaccineParticipants assigned to this group will receive placebo on alternate days on study days 1-28 and 200 mg oral iron on alternate days on study days 29-56.
Pre-treatment groupOral iron supplementation (pre-treatment)Participants assigned to this group will receive 200 mg oral iron on alternate days on study days 1-56.
Pre-treatment groupCOVID-19 vaccineParticipants assigned to this group will receive 200 mg oral iron on alternate days on study days 1-56.
Pre-treatment groupMenACWY vaccineParticipants assigned to this group will receive 200 mg oral iron on alternate days on study days 1-56.
Pre-treatment groupTyphim Vi vaccineParticipants assigned to this group will receive 200 mg oral iron on alternate days on study days 1-56.
Simultaneous treatment groupTyphim Vi vaccineParticipants assigned to this group will receive placebo on alternate days on study days 1-28 and 200 mg oral iron on alternate days on study days 29-56.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
IgG concentration against meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y (anti-MenACWY IgG) [iU/ml]Day 56
IgG concentration against Typhoid [iU/ml]Day 56
anti-spike (S1) immunoglobulin (IgG) and anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG concentrations against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-Coronavirus (COV)-2 [iU/ml]Day 56
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Hemoglobin concentration (g/L) at study endDays 56
Zinc protoporphyrin concentration (µmol/mol heme) at study endDay 56
Plasma iron concentration (µg/mL) at time of vaccinationDay 28
Plasma iron concentration (µg/mL) at study endDay 56
Total iron binding capacity at study endDay 56
Transferrin saturation (%) at baselineDay 1
Hemoglobin concentration (g/L) at baselineDay 1
Hemoglobin concentration (g/L) at time of vaccinationDay 28
Total iron binding capacity at baselineDay 1
Total iron binding capacity at time of vaccinationDay 28
Zinc protoporphyrin concentration (µmol/mol heme) at time of vaccinationDay 28
Plasma iron concentration (µg/mL) at baselineDay 1
Plasma ferritin concentration (µg/L) at study endDay 56
Zinc protoporphyrin concentration (µmol/mol heme) at baselineDay 1
Soluble transferrin receptor concentration (mg/L) at time of vaccinationDay 28
C-reactive protein concentration (mg/L) at baselineDay 1
C-reactive protein concentration (mg/L) at study endDay 56
Alpha-glycoprotein concentration (g/L) at study endDay 56
T-cell response assessed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detecting IFN-gamma produced by CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 peptides at study endDay 56
COVID-19 specific T cell response measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by ELISpot assay quantifying specific cytokines' concentration.Day 56
Transferrin saturation (%) at time of vaccinationDay 28
Transferrin saturation (%) at study endDay 56
Plasma ferritin concentration (µg/L) at baselineDay 1
Plasma ferritin concentration (µg/L) at time of vaccinationDay 28
Soluble transferrin receptor concentration (mg/L) at baselineDay 1
Retinol binding protein concentration (µmol/L) at time of vaccinationDay 28
Alpha-glycoprotein (AGP) concentration at baselineDay 1
Typhim Vi specific B-cell response measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by ELISpot assay quantifying antibodies' and memory B cell concentration.Day 56
Soluble transferrin receptor concentration (mg/L) at study endDay 56
C-reactive protein concentration (mg/L) at time of vaccinationDay 28
Retinol binding protein concentration (µmol/L) at baselineDay 1
Retinol binding protein concentration (µmol/L) at study endDay 56
Alpha-glycoprotein concentration (g/L) at time of vaccinationDay 28

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Msambweni County Referral Hospital

🇰🇪

Msambweni, Kenya

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