Background & aims: Vitamin A is considered as a supplement that effect on autoimmune diseases. We aimed to systematically review the effect of vitamin A on cytokines in patients with autoimmune disease.
Methods: Two researchers searched Scopus and PubMed until May 2018. Researchers extracted data from 6 eligible published papers. Extracted data included the gene expression of the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines.
Results: Fixed effect analysis of the WMD (95% CI) of the changes in gene expression showed that gene expression of the inflammatory (IL-17, IFN-γ and T-bet) and anti-inflammatory (TGF-β and FOXP3) cytokines significantly decreased and increased due to vitamin A supplementation in patients with autoimmune (Multiple sclerosis and atherosclerosis) diseases.
Conclusions: Vitamin A supplementation effects on gene expression and may improve serum level of cytokines and clinical signs of autoimmune disease but there is no adequate evidence.
Keywords: Cytokine; Meta-analysis; Systematic review; Vitamin A.
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