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Janmohamed A, Doledec D, Dissieka R, Jalloh UH, Juneja S, Beye M, Ndiaye F, Jumbe T, Baker MM. Vitamin A supplementation coverage and associated factors for children aged 6 to 59 months in integrated and campaign-based delivery systems in four sub-Saharan African countries. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1189. [PMID: 38678255 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18707-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a leading contributor to the poor health and nutrition of young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Funding constraints are compelling many countries to shift from longstanding campaigns to integrating vitamin A supplementation (VAS) into routine health services. We assessed child VAS coverage and associated factors for integrated delivery systems in Mozambique, Senegal, and Sierra Leone and for a campaign-based delivery strategy in Tanzania. METHODS Data were obtained using representative household surveys administered to primary caregivers of N = 16,343 children aged 6-59 months (Mozambique: N = 1,659; Senegal: N = 7,254; Sierra Leone: N = 4,149; Tanzania: N = 3,281). Single-dose VAS coverage was assessed and bivariate and multivariable associations were examined for child VAS receipt with respect to rural or urban residence; child age and sex; maternal age, education, and VAS program knowledge; and household wealth. RESULTS VAS coverage for children aged 6-59 months was 42.8% (95% CI: 40.2, 45.6) in Mozambique, 46.1% (95% CI: 44.9, 47.4) in Senegal, 86.9% (95% CI: 85.8, 87.9) in Sierra Leone, and 42.4% (95% CI: 40.2, 44.6) in Tanzania and was significantly higher for children 6-11 vs. 24-59 months in Mozambique, Senegal, and Tanzania. In Sierra Leone, children aged 12-23 months (aOR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.20, 2.86) and 24-59 months (aOR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.07, 2.25) were more likely to receive VAS, compared to those 6-11 months. Maternal awareness of VAS programs was associated with higher uptake in Mozambique (aOR = 4.00; 95% CI: 2.81, 5.68), Senegal (aOR = 2.72; 95% CI: 2.35, 3.15), and Tanzania (aOR = 14.50; 95% CI: 10.98, 19.17). Increased household wealth was associated with a higher likelihood of child VAS in Senegal and Tanzania. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate routine delivery approaches for VAS are not achieving the level of coverage needed for public health impact in these settings. Intensive outreach efforts contributed to the higher coverage in Sierra Leone and highlight the importance of reducing the burdens associated with seeking supplementation at health facilities. As countries move towards incorporating VAS into routine health services, the essentiality of informed communities and potential losses for older children and socio-economically disadvantaged populations are key considerations in the sub-Saharan African context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amynah Janmohamed
- Helen Keller International Vitamin A Supplementation Africa Regional Office, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - David Doledec
- Helen Keller International Vitamin A Supplementation Africa Regional Office, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Romance Dissieka
- Helen Keller International Vitamin A Supplementation Africa Regional Office, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Umu H Jalloh
- Helen Keller International, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | | | | | | | | | - Melissa M Baker
- Helen Keller International Vitamin A Supplementation Africa Regional Office, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Tan PY, Loganathan R, Teng KT, Mohd Johari SN, Lee SC, Selvaduray KR, Ngui R, Lim YAL. Supplementation of red palm olein-enriched biscuits improves levels of provitamin A carotenes, iron, and erythropoiesis in vitamin A-deficient primary schoolchildren: a double-blinded randomised controlled trial. Eur J Nutr 2024; 63:905-918. [PMID: 38240773 DOI: 10.1007/s00394-023-03314-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) remains a significant contributor to childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries; therefore, the implementation of sustainable and cost-effective approaches to control VAD is of utmost pertinence. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of red palm olein (RPO)-enriched biscuit supplementation in improving vitamin A, haematological, iron, and inflammatory status among vitamin A-deficient schoolchildren. METHODS We conducted a double-blinded, randomised controlled trial involving 651 rural primary schoolchildren (8-12 years) with VAD in Malaysia. The schoolchildren were randomised to receive either RPO-enriched biscuits (experimental group, n = 334) or palm olein-enriched biscuits (control group, n = 317) for 6-month duration. RESULTS Significant improvements in retinol and retinol-binding protein 4 levels were observed in both groups after supplementation (P < 0.001). The improvement in retinol levels were similar across groups among subjects with confirmed VAD (P = 0.40). Among those with marginal VAD, greater improvement in retinol levels was recorded in the control group (P < 0.001) but lacked clinical significance. The levels of α- and β-carotenes, haematological parameters (haemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin) and iron enhanced more significantly in the experimental group (P < 0.05). The significant reduction in the prevalence of microcytic anaemia (- 21.8%) and high inflammation (- 8.1%) was only observed in the experimental group. CONCLUSION The supplementation of RPO-enriched biscuits enhanced levels of provitamin A carotenes, iron, and erythropoiesis, and exhibited anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, the incorporation of RPO into National Nutritional Intervention Programs may be a potential measure to improve the health status of vitamin A-deficient children, among various other interventions. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03256123).
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Yee Tan
- Nutrition Unit, Division of Product Development and Advisory Services, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, No. 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Radhika Loganathan
- Nutrition Unit, Division of Product Development and Advisory Services, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, No. 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Kim-Tiu Teng
- Nutrition Unit, Division of Product Development and Advisory Services, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, No. 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Soo Ching Lee
- Type 2 Immunity Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kanga Rani Selvaduray
- Nutrition Unit, Division of Product Development and Advisory Services, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, No. 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Romano Ngui
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Yvonne Ai-Lian Lim
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Ishaq MU, Kunwar D, Qadeer A, Komel A, Safi A, Malik A, Malik L, Akbar A. Effect of vitamin A on maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes: An overview of deficiency, excessive intake, and intake recommendations. Nutr Clin Pract 2024; 39:373-384. [PMID: 38030585 DOI: 10.1002/ncp.11096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A imbalance during pregnancy and lactation is a global public health concern with potentially negative consequences for fetuses and neonates. Inadequate vitamin A intake during this critical period can lead to anemia, weakened immune function, night blindness, and increased susceptibility to infections. Conversely, excessive intake of vitamin A can result in birth defects, hypercalcemia, and psychiatric symptoms. This review aims to identify risk factors contributing to vitamin A deficiency in pregnant women and its impact on maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes. It also examines the effects of high-dose vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy on offspring health. By analyzing existing literature and recommendations, the review emphasizes the significance of vitamin A in the development of various body systems and organs. It provides a comprehensive overview of the effects of vitamin A during pregnancy and lactation, encompassing deficiencies, excessive intake, and supplementation guidelines. The need for further research in this field is highlighted. In conclusion, maintaining a balanced vitamin A status is crucial during pregnancy to promote better outcomes for fetuses and newborns. Effective monitoring and intervention strategies are essential to address vitamin A deficiency and excess in pregnant women, thereby improving fetal and neonatal health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Digbijay Kunwar
- Department of Medicine, Nishtar Medical University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Qadeer
- Department of Medicine, Nishtar Medical University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Aqsa Komel
- Department of Medicine, Nishtar Medical University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Adnan Safi
- Department of Medicine, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Aqsa Malik
- Department of Medicine, Fatima Memorial College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Linta Malik
- Department of Medicine, Nishtar Medical University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Anum Akbar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Centre, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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Gunzinger JM, Muth DR, Hanson JVM, Al-Sheikh M, Fasler K, Barthelmes D, Zweifel SA. Vitamin A deficiency retinopathy related to medical interventions in a Swiss cohort: a case series. Swiss Med Wkly 2023; 153:40097. [PMID: 37921090 DOI: 10.57187/smw.2023.40097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS OF THE STUDY Vitamin A deficiency retinopathy is a potentially blinding disease. In developed countries, vitamin A deficiency due to malnutrition is rare. However, vitamin A deficiency can be caused by malabsorption resulting from bowel resection or medication. In this retrospective study, we present five cases of vitamin A deficiency retinopathy related to malabsorption secondary to medical interventions. METHODS Electronic charts over a ten-year period (2012-2022) were screened for vitamin A deficiency retinopathy. Only patients with vitamin A deficiency confirmed by laboratory tests were included. Symptoms, medical history, visual acuity, optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, electrophysiological examination, and vitamin A levels were reviewed. RESULTS Five eligible cases were identified. Median age was 44.7 years (range 22.2-88.9), median duration of ocular symptoms prior to diagnosis was 14 months, and median visual acuity was 1.0 (range 0.5-1.0, Snellen, decimal). Three patients had a history of bariatric surgery, one patient had a small bowel resection and was on octreotide treatment, and one patient suffered from cystic fibrosis and had a history of small bowel resection and severe hepatopathy. Optical coherence tomography showed various abnormalities, including a reduced interdigitation zone, subretinal drusenoid deposits, and a thinned outer nuclear layer. Electroretinogram findings ranged from abnormal oscillatory potentials to non-recordable rod responses. CONCLUSIONS Vitamin A deficiency retinopathy can occur following medical interventions associated with malabsorption. In cases of night blindness, vitamin A levels should be measured.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel R Muth
- The Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - James V M Hanson
- The Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mayss Al-Sheikh
- The Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Katrin Fasler
- The Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Daniel Barthelmes
- The Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Tan PY, Loganathan R, Teng KT, Lee SC, Syahirah Nadiah Mohd J, Selvaduray KR, Ngui R, Lim YAL. Red palm olein-enriched biscuit supplementation lowers Ascaris lumbricoides reinfection at 6-month after anthelmintic treatment among schoolchildren with vitamin A deficiency (VAD). Acta Trop 2023; 240:106860. [PMID: 36775004 PMCID: PMC10241531 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Notwithstanding the global efforts made to control intestinal parasitic infections, soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are still one of the most prevalent infections globally, especially in developing countries. A double-blinded, randomized controlled trial was conducted on 343 primary schoolchildren (8-12 years old) with vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in rural areas of Malaysia to investigate the effects of red palm olein (RPO)-enriched biscuits on STH reinfection rates and infection intensities. The effects of the RPO-enriched biscuits (experimental group, n = 153) and palm olein (PO)-enriched biscuits (control group, n = 190), were assessed at 3- and 6-month after the administration of complete triple-dose albendazole (one dose of 400 mg for three consecutive days). The overall STH infection rate at baseline was recorded at 65.6%. At 6-month, a significantly lower reinfection rate of A. lumbricoides was observed in the experimental group (35.3%) compared to the control group (60.0%) (P< 0.05), and a significant reduction in fecal egg count (epg) of A. lumbricoides was observed in the experimental group from baseline (P< 0.001), but no significant reduction was observed in the control group. No significant differences in the reduction of infection intensities of T. trichiura and hookworm were observed between experimental and control groups at 3- and 6-month (P>0.05). These findings suggest the potential beneficial effects of RPO-enriched biscuit supplementation on the reinfection of A. lumbricoides, which could be attributed to its high carotenoids content by enhancing host immune response and mucosal epithelium integrity. However, further studies are warranted to confirm whether RPO supplementation could result in similar parasite-specific beneficial effects in other community settings, as well as to explore the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Yee Tan
- Nutrition Unit, Division of Product Development and Advisory Services, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, No. 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - Radhika Loganathan
- Nutrition Unit, Division of Product Development and Advisory Services, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, No. 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Kim-Tiu Teng
- Nutrition Unit, Division of Product Development and Advisory Services, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, No. 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Soo Ching Lee
- Type 2 Immunity Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | | | - Kanga Rani Selvaduray
- Nutrition Unit, Division of Product Development and Advisory Services, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, No. 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Romano Ngui
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - Yvonne Ai-Lian Lim
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
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Yadav AS, Isoherranen N, Rubinow KB. Vitamin A homeostasis and cardiometabolic disease in humans: lost in translation? J Mol Endocrinol 2022; 69:R95-R108. [PMID: 35900842 PMCID: PMC9534526 DOI: 10.1530/jme-22-0078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Vitamin A (retinol) is an essential, fat-soluble vitamin that plays critical roles in embryonic development, vision, immunity, and reproduction. Severe vitamin A deficiency results in profound embryonic dysgenesis, blindness, and infertility. The roles of bioactive vitamin A metabolites in regulating cell proliferation, cellular differentiation, and immune cell function form the basis of their clinical use in the treatment of dermatologic conditions and hematologic malignancies. Increasingly, vitamin A also has been recognized to play important roles in cardiometabolic health, including the regulation of adipogenesis, energy partitioning, and lipoprotein metabolism. While these roles are strongly supported by animal and in vitro studies, they remain poorly understood in human physiology and disease. This review briefly introduces vitamin A biology and presents the key preclinical data that have generated interest in vitamin A as a mediator of cardiometabolic health. The review also summarizes clinical studies performed to date, highlighting the limitations of many of these studies and the ongoing controversies in the field. Finally, additional perspectives are suggested that may help position vitamin A metabolism within a broader biological context and thereby contribute to enhanced understanding of vitamin A's complex roles in clinical cardiometabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aprajita S Yadav
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Nina Isoherranen
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Katya B Rubinow
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Shrestha S, Thapa S, Garner P, Caws M, Gurung SC, Fox T, Kirubakaran R, Pokhrel KN. Is routine Vitamin A supplementation still justified for children in Nepal? Trial synthesis findings applied to Nepal national mortality estimates. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268507. [PMID: 35584136 PMCID: PMC9116662 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization has recommended Vitamin A supplementation for children in low- and middle-income countries for many years to reduce child mortality. Nepal still practices routine Vitamin A supplementation. We examined the potential current impact of these programs using national data in Nepal combined with an update of the mortality effect estimate from a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. METHODS We used the 2017 Cochrane review as a template for an updated meta-analysis. We conducted fresh searches, re-applied the inclusion criteria, re-extracted the data for mortality and constructed a summary of findings table using GRADE. We applied the best estimate of the effect obtained from the trials to the national statistics of the country to estimate the impact of supplementation on under-five mortality in Nepal. RESULTS The effect estimates from well-concealed trials gave a 9% reduction in mortality (Risk Ratio: 0.91, 95% CI 0.85 to 0.97, 6 trials; 1,046,829 participants; low certainty evidence). The funnel plot suggested publication bias, and a meta-analysis of trials published since 2000 gave a smaller effect estimate (Risk Ratio: 0.96, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.03, 2 trials, 1,007,587 participants), with the DEVTA trial contributing 55.1 per cent to this estimate. Applying the estimate from well-concealed trials to Nepal's under-five mortality rate, there may be a reduction in mortality, and this is small from 28 to 25 per 1000 live births; 3 fewer deaths (95% CI 1 to 4 fewer) for every 1000 children supplemented. CONCLUSIONS Vitamin A supplementation may only result in a quantitatively unimportant reduction in child mortality. Stopping blanket supplementation seems reasonable given these data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samjhana Shrestha
- Birat Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT), READ-It Project, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Centre for Evidence Synthesis in Global Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Saki Thapa
- Birat Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT), READ-It Project, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Paul Garner
- Centre for Evidence Synthesis in Global Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Maxine Caws
- Birat Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT), READ-It Project, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Center for Drugs and Diagnostics, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Suman Chandra Gurung
- Birat Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT), READ-It Project, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Center for Drugs and Diagnostics, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Tilly Fox
- Centre for Evidence Synthesis in Global Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Kirubakaran
- Prof BV Moses Centre for Evidence-Informed Healthcare and Health Policy, Vellore, India
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Poornachandra B, Jayadev C, Sharief S, Shetty R. Serial ERG monitoring of response to therapy in vitamin A deficiency related night blindness. BMJ Case Rep 2022; 15:e247856. [PMID: 35351751 PMCID: PMC8966552 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-247856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Two male patients with known systemic disorders who presented with complaints of nyctalopia underwent a complete ophthalmic examination including electrophysiological evaluation and serum vitamin A (retinol) levels. A significant vitamin A deficiency was detected, supplementation started and repeat electroretinogram (ERG) testing was carried out to monitor the timeline of recovery. Restoration of rod and generalised cone function was rapid within the first week of receiving treatment and near normal recovery was seen after 1 month of supplementation. Serial monitoring of ERG changes in vitamin A deficiency (VAD) associated night blindness plays an important role to demonstrate functional recovery post-treatment. The different effects of VAD on rod and cone function, and their rate of recovery, may reflect differences in the visual cycle between the two photoreceptors. We report the serial ERG changes in VAD related night blindness secondary to intestinal lipofuscinosis and liver cirrhosis in two patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Poornachandra
- Vitreoretina Services, Narayana Nethralaya Eye Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Chaitra Jayadev
- Vitreoretina Services, Narayana Nethralaya Eye Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Shama Sharief
- Vitreoretina Services, Narayana Nethralaya Eye Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Rohit Shetty
- Vitreoretina Services, Narayana Nethralaya Eye Institute, Bangalore, India
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Gilano G, Hailegebreal S, Seboka BT. Geographical variation and associated factors of vitamin A supplementation among 6-59-month children in Ethiopia. PLoS One 2022; 16:e0261959. [PMID: 34972168 PMCID: PMC8719719 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Vitamin A has been one of the most important micronutrients which are necessary for the health of the children. In developing countries, the supplementation of vitamins under a regular schedule had different constraints. Awareness, access, and resource limitations were usually the problem. In the current study, we analyzed the data from the demographic health survey (EDHS) 2016 to uncover the spatial distribution, predictors, and to provide additional information for policymaking and interventions. Methods In this analysis, we applied intra-community correlation to measure the random effect; global Moran’s I to test the nature of variance in the null model; proportional change in variance to check the variance of null and neighborhood in subsequent models. We used STATA 15 for prediction; ArcGIS 10.7 for the spatial distribution of vitamin A supplementation; SaTscan 9.6.1 to specify location of clustering were the applied soft wares. After confirming that the traditional logistic regression cannot explore the variances, we applied multilevel logistic regression to examine predictors where p-value <0.25 was used to include variables into the model and p-value<0.05 was used to declare associations. We presented the result using means, standard deviations, numbers, and proportions or percent, and AOR with 95% CI. Result The vitamin A coverage was 4,029.22 (44.90%) in Ethiopia in 2016. The distribution followed some spatial geo-locations where Afar, Somali were severely affected (RR = 1.46, P-value < 0.001), some pockets of Addis Ababa (RR = 1.47, p-value <0.001), and the poor distribution also affected all other regions partially. Place of delivery 1.2(1–1.34), primary and secondary education 1.3 (1–1.6), media exposure 1.2(1.1–1.4), having work 1.4(1.2–1.5), and all visits of ANC were positively influenced the distribution. Conclusion The distribution of vitamin A coverage was not random as per the EDHS 2016 data. Regions like Afar, Somali, and some pocket areas in Addis inquires immediate interventions. Pastoralist, agrarian, and city administrations were all involved from severe to the lesser coverage in order. Since factors like Place of delivery, education, ANC, media exposure, and having work were showed positive associations, interventions considering awareness, access, and availability of service need more attention than ever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Girma Gilano
- Department of Health Informatics, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Southern Ethiopia
- * E-mail:
| | - Samuel Hailegebreal
- Department of Health Informatics, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Southern Ethiopia
| | - Binyam Tariku Seboka
- Department of Health Informatics, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dilla University, Dilla, Southern Ethiopia
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Enekvint A, Wonneberger W, Zetterberg M. [Xerophthalmia in a 7-year-old autistic child]. Lakartidningen 2021; 118:21130. [PMID: 34783001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Vitamin A deficiency and xerophthalmia is a rare finding in developed countries. We report a severe case of xerophthalmia in a 7-year-old autistic child with restricted diet. Both eyes had Bitot's spots and ulceration. The right cornea had a perforation at admission. After treatment with high doses of vitamin A the right cornea epithelialized with formation of the anterior chamber and the left eye healed completely. This case adds to the increasing number of reports on cases of xerophthalmia particularly in autistic children and highlights the importance of considering vitamin A deficiency in patients with risk of malnutrition also in developed countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman Enekvint
- ST-läkare i ögonsjukdomar, Ögonsjukvård, Sahlgrenska universitetssjukhuset
| | - Wolf Wonneberger
- doktorand, överläkare, korneateam, Ögonsjukvård, Sahlgrenska universitetssjukhuset, Mölndal; Sahlgrenska akademin, Göteborgs universitet
| | - Madeleine Zetterberg
- professor, överläkare, Ögonsjukvård, Sahlgrenska universitetssjukhuset, Mölndal; Sahlgrenska akademin, Göteborgs universitet
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Diouf JBN, Sougou NM. Vitamin A Supplementation in Children in Guédiawaye Health District, Senegal. Indian Pediatr 2021; 58:1094-1095. [PMID: 34837369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
To assess the coverage rate of routine vitamin A supplementa tion, a descriptive study was carried out in the Guédiawaye Health District. The coverage rate for vitamin A supplementation was 48.6%. Age over 24 months, uneducated father, maternal age over 25, and lack of disease-related knowledge were factors associated with delayed vitamin A supplementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Baptiste Niokhor Diouf
- Pediatrics Department of the Hospital Center Roi Baudouin of Guédiawaye, University of Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal.
| | - Ndèye Marième Sougou
- Department of Public Health, Institut de Santé et Development (ISED), University of Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal
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Kishimoto N, Hayashi T, Mizobuchi K, Kubota M, Nakano T. Vitamin A deficiency after prolonged intake of an unbalanced diet in a Japanese hemodialysis patient. Doc Ophthalmol 2021; 143:85-91. [PMID: 33544296 DOI: 10.1007/s10633-021-09823-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In industrialized countries, vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is extremely rare, except association with bariatric surgeries and hepatobiliary disorders. It is unusual that VAD develops during hemodialysis due to reduced glomerular filtration of vitamin A-binding protein. We reported the case of a 58-year-old Japanese male hemodialysis patient diagnosed with VAD. CASE PRESENTATION The patient undergoing hemodialysis for more than 15 years presented with progressive photophobia and night blindness and was ophthalmologically examined. He denied a history of cancer or hepatobiliary disease and reported that he loved eating prepackaged noodle bowls and foods, with prolonged low intake of fruits/vegetables. He had good visual acuity. Fundus images showed numerous white dots in the midperipheral retinae, but no degenerative changes. In baseline full-field electroretinography (ERG), b-wave responses were extremely reduced in rod ERG, a-wave amplitudes in standard-flash/strong-flash ERG were reduced to 20-25% of our controls, a- and b-wave amplitudes in cone ERG were reduced to 40-50% of the controls. Whole-exome sequencing identified no pathogenic variant for any inherited retinal disorder. He was diagnosed with VAD because of reduced serum vitamin A levels and treated with retinol palmitate. Two months after treatment commencement, the serum vitamin A level was within the normal range. Full-field ERG showed that the scotopic ERG responses markedly improved compared with baseline. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report of VAD associated with undernutrition in the Japanese hemodialysis population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanami Kishimoto
- Department of Ophthalmology, Katsushika Medical Center, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 6-41-2 Aoto, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo, 125-8506, Japan
| | - Takaaki Hayashi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Katsushika Medical Center, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 6-41-2 Aoto, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo, 125-8506, Japan.
| | - Kei Mizobuchi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaomi Kubota
- Department of Ophthalmology, Katsushika Medical Center, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 6-41-2 Aoto, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo, 125-8506, Japan
| | - Tadashi Nakano
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Faye MH, Diémé MMA, Idohou-Dossou N, Badiane A, Diouf A, Ndiaye Ndome NM, Tanumihardjo SA. Adequate vitamin A liver stores estimated by the modified relative dose response test are positively associated with breastfeeding but not vitamin A supplementation in Senegalese urban children 9-23 months old: A comparative cross-sectional study. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246246. [PMID: 33513162 PMCID: PMC7846024 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) in 6-59-month-old children is recommended but its sustainability is currently questioned. In Senegal, available data suggest that VAS should be maintained, but geographic and age-related specificities need to be addressed to better implement and target VAS programming. The objective of this comparative cross-sectional study, conducted in urban settings of Dakar, was to compare the vitamin A liver stores (VALS) assessed using the modified-relative dose response (MRDR) test between supplemented and non-supplemented 9-23 month-old children and to study their relationship with VAS. The supplemented group (n = 119) received VAS (either 100 000 UI or 200 000 UI) 2 to 6 months before evaluation while the non-supplemented group (n = 110) had not received VAS during the past 6 months. In addition to MRDR, serum retinol concentrations (SR), and biomarkers of subclinical inflammation were measured. Children's health-related data and feeding patterns were collected. Mean MRDR values (VAS: 0.030 ± 0.017, non-VAS: 0.028 ± 0.016, P = 0.389) and inflammation-adjusted SR (VAS: 1.34 ± 0.37, non-VAS: 1.3 ± 0.35, P = 0.515) of children were adequate. Low prevalence of VALS (VAS: 5.2%, non-VAS: 5.4%) and inflammation-adjusted VAD (VAS: 2.6%, non-VAS: 0.9%) were detected despite high presence of infections and inflammation. Children were mostly still being breastfed (VAS: 85.7%, non-VAS: 77.3%) and complementary feeding indicators were similar in both groups. Only breastfeeding was associated with VALS and was found to reduce by 76% at least, the odds of VAD (adjusted OR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.07-0.8, P = 0.020). Based on MRDR values, VAS was not related to improved VALS and SR as well as VAD reduction among these children with adequate VALS. Reinforcing breastfeeding advocacy and morbidity prevention/control are essential in this setting. Scaling-back VAS in this subpopulation should be examined regarding the risk of hypervitaminosis A after an evaluation of dietary vitamin A intake sufficiency and a more quantitative assessment of VALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mane Hélène Faye
- Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine, Département de Biologie Animale, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Marie-Madeleine A. Diémé
- Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine, Département de Biologie Animale, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Nicole Idohou-Dossou
- Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine, Département de Biologie Animale, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Abdou Badiane
- Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine, Département de Biologie Animale, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Adama Diouf
- Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine, Département de Biologie Animale, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Sénégal
| | | | - Sherry A. Tanumihardjo
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
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Harari A, Melnikov N, Kandel Kfir M, Kamari Y, Mahler L, Ben-Amotz A, Harats D, Cohen H, Shaish A. Dietary β-Carotene Rescues Vitamin A Deficiency and Inhibits Atherogenesis in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12061625. [PMID: 32492795 PMCID: PMC7352614 DOI: 10.3390/nu12061625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major health problem, especially in developing countries. In this study, we investigated the effect of VAD from weaning to adulthood in apoE−/− mice. Three-week-old male mice were allocated into four diet groups: I. VAD II. VAD+vitamin A (VA), 1500 IU retinyl-palmitate; III. VAD+β-carotene (BC), 6 g/kg feed, containing 50% all-trans and 50% 9-cis BC. IV. VAD with BC and VA (BC+VA). After 13 weeks, we assessed the size of atherosclerotic plaques and measured VA in tissues and BC in plasma and tissues. VAD resulted in diminished hepatic VA levels and undetectable brain VA levels compared to the other groups. BC completely replenished VA levels in the liver, and BC+VA led to a two-fold elevation of hepatic VA accumulation. In adipose tissue, mice fed BC+VA accumulated only 13% BC compared to mice fed BC alone. Atherosclerotic lesion area of BC group was 73% lower compared to VAD group (p < 0.05). These results suggest that BC can be a sole source for VA and inhibits atherogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayelet Harari
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer 5262000, Israel; (N.M.); (M.K.K.); (Y.K.); (L.M.); (D.H.); (H.C.); (A.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Nir Melnikov
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer 5262000, Israel; (N.M.); (M.K.K.); (Y.K.); (L.M.); (D.H.); (H.C.); (A.S.)
| | - Michal Kandel Kfir
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer 5262000, Israel; (N.M.); (M.K.K.); (Y.K.); (L.M.); (D.H.); (H.C.); (A.S.)
| | - Yehuda Kamari
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer 5262000, Israel; (N.M.); (M.K.K.); (Y.K.); (L.M.); (D.H.); (H.C.); (A.S.)
- The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Lidor Mahler
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer 5262000, Israel; (N.M.); (M.K.K.); (Y.K.); (L.M.); (D.H.); (H.C.); (A.S.)
| | - Ami Ben-Amotz
- N.B.T., Nature Beta Technologies LTD, Eilat 8851100, Israel;
| | - Dror Harats
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer 5262000, Israel; (N.M.); (M.K.K.); (Y.K.); (L.M.); (D.H.); (H.C.); (A.S.)
- The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Hofit Cohen
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer 5262000, Israel; (N.M.); (M.K.K.); (Y.K.); (L.M.); (D.H.); (H.C.); (A.S.)
- The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Aviv Shaish
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer 5262000, Israel; (N.M.); (M.K.K.); (Y.K.); (L.M.); (D.H.); (H.C.); (A.S.)
- The Department of Life Sciences, MP, Achva Academic College, Shikmim 7980400, Israel
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15
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Chan E, Buzzard J, Helms R, Grigorian AP. Evaluation and Clinical Course of Keratomalacia With Descemetocele in a Child With Autism and Vitamin A Deficiency. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2020; 57:e1-e3. [PMID: 31978231 DOI: 10.3928/01913913-20190812-01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Autistic children with selective diets have an elevated risk for vitamin A deficiency. The authors present the case of a 7-year-old boy with keratomalacia resulting from dietary vitamin A deficiency. Optical coherence tomography and ultrasound biomicroscopy can provide useful details of the cornea and underlying structures. Vitamin A supplementation can result in significant resolution, obviating the need for surgical intervention. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2020;57:e1-e3.].
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16
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Ahmad SM, Raqib R, Huda MN, Alam MJ, Monirujjaman M, Akhter T, Wagatsuma Y, Qadri F, Zerofsky MS, Stephensen CB. High-Dose Neonatal Vitamin A Supplementation Transiently Decreases Thymic Function in Early Infancy. J Nutr 2020; 150:176-183. [PMID: 31504694 PMCID: PMC6946900 DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxz193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) impairs T-cell-mediated immunity. In regions where VAD is prevalent, vitamin A supplementation (VAS) reduces child mortality, perhaps by improving immune function. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to determine if neonatal VAS would improve thymic function in Bangladeshi infants, and to determine if such effects differed by sex or nutritional status (i.e., birth weight above/below the median). METHODS Three hundred and six infants were randomly assigned to 50,000 IU vitamin A (VA) or placebo (PL) within 48 h of birth. Primary outcomes were measured at multiple ages and included 1) thymic index (TI) at 1, 6, 10, and 15 wk; 2) T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC), an index of thymic output of naïve T cells; and 3) total/naïve T cells in peripheral blood at 6 wk, 15 wk, and 2 y. A mixed linear model for repeated measures was used to assess group differences at each age and identify interactions with sex and birth weight. RESULTS VAS did not significantly (P = 0.21) affect TI overall (i.e., at all ages) but decreased TI by 7.8% (P = 0.029) at 6 wk: adjusted TI means for the PL and VA groups at 1, 6, 10, and 15 wk were 4.09 compared with 3.80 cm2, 7.78 compared with 7.18 cm2, 8.11 compared with 7.84 cm2, and 7.91 compared with 7.97 cm2, respectively. VAS did not significantly (P = 0.25) affect TREC overall but decreased TREC by 19% (P = 0.029) at 15 wk: adjusted TREC means for the PL and VA groups at 6 wk, 15 wk, and 2 y were 13.6 compared with 16.1 copies/pg DNA, 19.4 compared with 15.7 copies/pg DNA, and 11.8 compared with 10.0 copies/pg DNA, respectively. VAS did not significantly affect overall total (P = 0.10) or naïve (P = 0.092) T cells: adjusted naïve T-cell means for the PL and VA groups at 6 wk, 15 wk, and 2 y were 3259 compared with 3109 cells/µL, 3771 compared with 3487 cells/µL, and 1976 compared with 1898 cells/µL, respectively. CONCLUSION In contrast to our hypothesis, VAS decreased thymic function early in infancy but health effects are presumably negligible owing to the transience and small magnitude of this effect. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01583972 and NCT02027610.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaikh M Ahmad
- Immunobiology, Nutrition, and Toxicology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rubhana Raqib
- Immunobiology, Nutrition, and Toxicology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - M Nazmul Huda
- Immunobiology, Nutrition, and Toxicology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center at University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Nutrition Department, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Md J Alam
- Immunobiology, Nutrition, and Toxicology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Monirujjaman
- Immunobiology, Nutrition, and Toxicology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Taslima Akhter
- Immunobiology, Nutrition, and Toxicology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Yukiko Wagatsuma
- Department of Clinical Trials and Clinical Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Firdausi Qadri
- Immunobiology, Nutrition, and Toxicology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Melissa S Zerofsky
- USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center at University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Nutrition Department, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Charles B Stephensen
- USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center at University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Nutrition Department, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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17
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Jiang WD, Zhou XQ, Zhang L, Liu Y, Wu P, Jiang J, Kuang SY, Tang L, Tang WN, Zhang YA, Shi HQ, Feng L. Vitamin A deficiency impairs intestinal physical barrier function of fish. Fish Shellfish Immunol 2019; 87:546-558. [PMID: 30716522 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2019.01.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The present study was the first to investigate the effects of dietary vitamin A (VA) on the intestinal physical barrier function associated with oxidation, antioxidant system, apoptosis and cell-cellular tight junction (TJ) in the proximal (PI), mid (MI) and distal (DI) intestines of young grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Fish were fed graded levels of dietary VA for 10 weeks, and then a challenge test using an injection of Aeromonas hydrophila was conducted for 14 days. Results indicated that dietary VA deficiency caused oxidative damage to fish intestine partly by the reduced non-enzymatic antioxidant components glutathione (GSH) and VA contents as well as reduced antioxidant enzyme activities [not including manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD)]. Further results observed that the decreased antioxidant enzyme activities by VA deficiency were partly related to the down-regulation of their corresponding mRNA levels which were regulated by the down-regulation of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) mRNA levels and up-regulation of kelch-like-ECH-associated protein (Keap1a) (rather than Keap1b) mRNA levels in three intestinal segments of fish. Meanwhile, VA deficiency up-regulated the mRNA levels of the apoptosis signalling [caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9 (rather than caspase-7)] associated with the inhibition of the target of rapamycin (TOR) signalling pathway in three intestinal segments of fish. Additionally, VA deficiency decreased the mRNA levels of TJ complexes [claudin-b, claudin-c, claudin-3, claudin-12, claudin-15a, occludin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in the PI, MI and DI, as well as claudin-7 and claudin-11a in the MI and DI] linked to the up-regulation of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) signalling. These results suggested that VA deficiency impaired structural integrity in three intestinal segments of fish. Meanwhile, excessive VA also showed similar negative effects on these indexes. Taken together, the current study firstly demonstrated that VA deficiency impaired physical barrier functions associated with impaired antioxidant capacity, aggravated cell apoptosis and disrupted TJ complexes in the PI, MI and DI, but different segments performed different actions in fish. Based on protecting fish against protein oxidation, the optimal VA levels for grass carp were estimated to be 2622 IU/kg diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Dan Jiang
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Fish Nutrition and Safety Production University Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Xiao-Qiu Zhou
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Fish Nutrition and Safety Production University Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Fish Nutrition and Safety Production University Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Pei Wu
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Fish Nutrition and Safety Production University Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Jun Jiang
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Sheng-Yao Kuang
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Academy of Animal Science, Chengdu, 610066, China
| | - Ling Tang
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Academy of Animal Science, Chengdu, 610066, China
| | - Wu-Neng Tang
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Academy of Animal Science, Chengdu, 610066, China
| | - Yong-An Zhang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - He-Qun Shi
- Guangzhou Cohoo Bio-tech Research & Development Centre, Guangzhou, 510663, Guangdong, China
| | - Lin Feng
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Fish Nutrition and Safety Production University Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Mishra
- Department of Internal Medicine, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - A Jandial
- Department of Internal Medicine, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - R Sandal
- Department of Internal Medicine, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - A Khadwal
- Department of Internal Medicine, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - P Malhotra
- Department of Internal Medicine, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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19
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Benn CS, Aaby P, Fisker AB. Lessons Learned from the Testing of Neonatal Vitamin A Supplementation. Nutrients 2019; 11:nu11020449. [PMID: 30795563 PMCID: PMC6413202 DOI: 10.3390/nu11020449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A total of 12 trials have tested the effect of neonatal vitamin A supplementation (NVAS) on mortality. Overall, NVAS had no effect on mortality, but results were heterogeneous. Two competing hypotheses have been put forward to explain the divergent effects: A) NVAS works by preventing vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and not all countries have VAD; B) NVAS interacts negatively with subsequent diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine, increasing mortality in females; in countries with low DTP coverage NVAS may have a beneficial effect. Only hypothesis A was tested in a recent meta-analysis; there is no strong empirical support for hypothesis A and it would not explain observed negative effects in some settings. Hypothesis B accounts for most observations. However, so far it has only been tested properly in a few trials. If hypothesis B is correct, it has major consequences for the understanding of the effects of vitamin A, and for the VAS policy in older children. As a WHO priority, the DTP coverage is bound to increase, and therefore hypothesis B urgently needs to be tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Stabell Benn
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark.
- OPEN, Institute for Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark/Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark.
| | - Peter Aaby
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Bandim Health Project, Bissau, 1004 Bissau Codex, Guinea-Bissau.
| | - Ane Bærent Fisker
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark.
- OPEN, Institute for Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark/Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark.
- Bandim Health Project, Bissau, 1004 Bissau Codex, Guinea-Bissau.
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20
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Saeed A, Dullaart RPF, Schreuder TCMA, Blokzijl H, Faber KN. Disturbed Vitamin A Metabolism in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Nutrients 2017; 10:nu10010029. [PMID: 29286303 PMCID: PMC5793257 DOI: 10.3390/nu10010029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A is required for important physiological processes, including embryogenesis, vision, cell proliferation and differentiation, immune regulation, and glucose and lipid metabolism. Many of vitamin A’s functions are executed through retinoic acids that activate transcriptional networks controlled by retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs).The liver plays a central role in vitamin A metabolism: (1) it produces bile supporting efficient intestinal absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like vitamin A; (2) it produces retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) that distributes vitamin A, as retinol, to peripheral tissues; and (3) it harbors the largest body supply of vitamin A, mostly as retinyl esters, in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). In times of inadequate dietary intake, the liver maintains stable circulating retinol levels of approximately 2 μmol/L, sufficient to provide the body with this vitamin for months. Liver diseases, in particular those leading to fibrosis and cirrhosis, are associated with impaired vitamin A homeostasis and may lead to vitamin A deficiency. Liver injury triggers HSCs to transdifferentiate to myofibroblasts that produce excessive amounts of extracellular matrix, leading to fibrosis. HSCs lose the retinyl ester stores in this process, ultimately leading to vitamin A deficiency. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome and is a spectrum of conditions ranging from benign hepatic steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH); it may progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer. NASH is projected to be the main cause of liver failure in the near future. Retinoic acids are key regulators of glucose and lipid metabolism in the liver and adipose tissue, but it is unknown whether impaired vitamin A homeostasis contributes to or suppresses the development of NAFLD. A genetic variant of patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3-I148M) is the most prominent heritable factor associated with NAFLD. Interestingly, PNPLA3 harbors retinyl ester hydrolase activity and PNPLA3-I148M is associated with low serum retinol level, but enhanced retinyl esters in the liver of NAFLD patients. Low circulating retinol in NAFLD may therefore not reflect true “vitamin A deficiency”, but rather disturbed vitamin A metabolism. Here, we summarize current knowledge about vitamin A metabolism in NAFLD and its putative role in the progression of liver disease, as well as the therapeutic potential of vitamin A metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Saeed
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Bio-Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan.
| | - Robin P F Dullaart
- Department of Endocrinology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Tim C M A Schreuder
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Hans Blokzijl
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Klaas Nico Faber
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
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Gupta A, Kapil UC. Quantum Jump in the Coverage of Mega Doses of Vitamin A Supplementation Program to Children in India. Indian Pediatr 2017; 54:784-786. [PMID: 28984266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aakriti Gupta
- Department of Human Nutrition, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Strategies to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) include lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-positive women, exclusive breastfeeding from birth for six weeks plus nevirapine or replacement feeding plus nevirapine from birth for four to six weeks, elective Caesarean section delivery, and avoiding giving children chewed food. In some settings, these interventions may not be practical, feasible, or affordable. Simple, inexpensive, and effective interventions (that could potentially be implemented even in the absence of prenatal HIV testing programmes) would be valuable. Vitamin A, which plays a role in immune function, is one low-cost intervention that has been suggested in such settings. OBJECTIVES To summarize the effects of giving vitamin A supplements to HIV-positive women during pregnancy and after delivery. SEARCH METHODS We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Embase, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP) up to 25 August 2017, and checked the reference lists of relevant articles for eligible studies. SELECTION CRITERIA We included randomized controlled trials conducted in any setting that compared vitamin A supplements to placebo or no intervention among HIV-positive women during pregnancy or after delivery, or both. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS At least two review authors independently assessed study eligibility and extracted data. We expressed study results as risk ratios (RR) or mean differences (MD) as appropriate, with their 95% confidence intervals (CI), and conducted random-effects meta-analyses. This is an update of a review last published in 2011. MAIN RESULTS Five trials met the inclusion criteria. These were conducted in Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe between 1995 and 2005 and none of the participants received ART. Women allocated to intervention arms received vitamin A supplements at a variety of doses (daily during pregnancy; a single dose immediately after delivery, or daily doses during pregnancy plus a single dose after delivery). Women allocated to comparison arms received identical placebo (6601 women, 4 trials) or no intervention (697 women, 1 trial). Four trials (with 6995 women) had low risk of bias and one trial (with 303 women) had high risk of attrition bias.The trials show that giving vitamin A supplements to HIV-positive women during pregnancy, the immediate postpartum period, or both, probably has little or no effect on mother-to-child transmission of HIV (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.26; 4428 women, 5 trials, moderate certainty evidence) and may have little or no effect on child death by two years of age (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.22; 3883 women, 3 trials, low certainty evidence). However, giving vitamin A supplements during pregnancy may increase the mean birthweight (MD 34.12 g, 95% CI -12.79 to 81.02; 2181 women, 3 trials, low certainty evidence) and probably reduces the incidence of low birthweight (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.97; 1819 women, 3 trials, moderate certainty evidence); but we do not know whether vitamin A supplements affect the risk of preterm delivery (1577 women, 2 trials), stillbirth (2335 women, 3 trials), or maternal death (1267 women, 2 trials). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Antepartum or postpartum vitamin A supplementation, or both, probably has little or no effect on mother-to-child transmission of HIV in women living with HIV infection and not on antiretroviral drugs. The intervention has largely been superseded by ART which is widely available and effective in preventing vertical transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Wiysonge
- South African Medical Research CouncilCochrane South AfricaFrancie van Zijl Drive, Parow ValleyCape TownWestern CapeSouth Africa7505
| | - Valantine N Ndze
- Stellenbosch UniversityCentre for Evidence‐based Health Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health SciencesPO Box 241Cape TownSouth Africa8000
| | | | - Muki S Shey
- University of Cape Town, Health Sciences FacultyClinical Infectious Diseases Research Initiative (CIDRI)Anzio RoadObservatoryCape TownWestern CapeSouth Africa7925
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Imdad A, Mayo‐Wilson E, Herzer K, Bhutta ZA. Vitamin A supplementation for preventing morbidity and mortality in children from six months to five years of age. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2017; 3:CD008524. [PMID: 28282701 PMCID: PMC6464706 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd008524.pub3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major public health problem in low- and middle-income countries, affecting 190 million children under five years of age and leading to many adverse health consequences, including death. Based on prior evidence and a previous version of this review, the World Health Organization has continued to recommend vitamin A supplementation for children aged 6 to 59 months. There are new data available from recently published randomised trials since the previous publication of this review in 2010, and this update incorporates this information and reviews the evidence. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of vitamin A supplementation (VAS) for preventing morbidity and mortality in children aged six months to five years. SEARCH METHODS In March 2016 we searched CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, six other databases, and two trials registers. We also checked reference lists and contacted relevant organisations and researchers to identify additional studies. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and cluster-RCTs evaluating the effect of synthetic VAS in children aged six months to five years living in the community. We excluded studies involving children in hospital and children with disease or infection. We also excluded studies evaluating the effects of food fortification, consumption of vitamin A rich foods, or beta-carotene supplementation. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS For this update, two reviewers independently assessed studies for inclusion and abstracted data, resolving discrepancies by discussion. We performed meta-analyses for outcomes, including all-cause and cause-specific mortality, disease, vision, and side effects. We used the GRADE approach to assess the quality of the evidence. MAIN RESULTS We identified 47 studies (4 of which are new to this review), involving approximately 1,223,856 children. Studies took place in 19 countries: 30 (63%) in Asia, 16 of these in India; 8 (17%) in Africa; 7 (15%) in Latin America, and 2 (4%) in Australia. About one-third of the studies were in urban/periurban settings, and half were in rural settings; the remaining studies did not clearly report settings. Most of the studies included equal numbers of girls and boys and lasted about a year. The included studies were at variable overall risk of bias; however, evidence for the primary outcome was at low risk of bias. A meta-analysis for all-cause mortality included 19 trials (1,202,382 children). At longest follow-up, there was a 12% observed reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality for vitamin A compared with control using a fixed-effect model (risk ratio (RR) 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83 to 0.93; high-quality evidence). This result was sensitive to choice of model, and a random-effects meta-analysis showed a different summary estimate (24% reduction: RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.88); however, the confidence intervals overlapped with that of the fixed-effect model. Nine trials reported mortality due to diarrhoea and showed a 12% overall reduction for VAS (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.98; 1,098,538 participants; high-quality evidence). There was no significant effect for VAS on mortality due to measles, respiratory disease, and meningitis. VAS reduced incidence of diarrhoea (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.87; 15 studies; 77,946 participants; low-quality evidence) and measles (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.67; 6 studies; 19,566 participants; moderate-quality evidence). However, there was no significant effect on incidence of respiratory disease or hospitalisations due to diarrhoea or pneumonia. There was an increased risk of vomiting within the first 48 hours of VAS (RR 1.97, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.69; 4 studies; 10,541 participants; moderate-quality evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Vitamin A supplementation is associated with a clinically meaningful reduction in morbidity and mortality in children. Therefore, we suggest maintaining the policy of universal supplementation for children under five years of age in populations at risk of VAD. Further placebo-controlled trials of VAS in children between six months and five years of age would not change the conclusions of this review, although studies that compare different doses and delivery mechanisms are needed. In populations with documented vitamin A deficiency, it would be unethical to conduct placebo-controlled trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aamer Imdad
- Vanderbilt University School of MedicineDepartment of Pediatrics, D. Brent Polk Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionNashvilleTNUSA37212
| | - Evan Mayo‐Wilson
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public HealthDepartment of Epidemiology615 North Wolfe StreetBaltimoreMarylandUSA21205
| | - Kurt Herzer
- Johns Hopkins School of MedicineTower 711600 North Wolfe St.BaltimoreMDUSA21287
| | - Zulfiqar A Bhutta
- Hospital for Sick ChildrenCentre for Global Child HealthTorontoONCanadaM5G A04
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Wirth JP, Petry N, Tanumihardjo SA, Rogers LM, McLean E, Greig A, Garrett GS, Klemm RDW, Rohner F. Vitamin A Supplementation Programs and Country-Level Evidence of Vitamin A Deficiency. Nutrients 2017; 9:nu9030190. [PMID: 28245571 PMCID: PMC5372853 DOI: 10.3390/nu9030190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2016] [Revised: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) programs targeted at children aged 6–59 months are implemented in many countries. By improving immune function, vitamin A (VA) reduces mortality associated with measles, diarrhea, and other illnesses. There is currently a debate regarding the relevance of VAS, but amidst the debate, researchers acknowledge that the majority of nationally-representative data on VA status is outdated. To address this data gap and contribute to the debate, we examined data from 82 countries implementing VAS programs, identified other VA programs, and assessed the recentness of national VA deficiency (VAD) data. We found that two-thirds of the countries explored either have no VAD data or data that were >10 years old (i.e., measured before 2006), which included twenty countries with VAS coverage ≥70%. Fifty-one VAS programs were implemented in parallel with at least one other VA intervention, and of these, 27 countries either had no VAD data or data collected in 2005 or earlier. To fill these gaps in VAD data, countries implementing VAS and other VA interventions should measure VA status in children at least every 10 years. At the same time, the coverage of VA interventions can also be measured. We identified three countries that have scaled down VAS, but given the lack of VA deficiency data, this would be a premature undertaking in most countries without appropriate status assessment. While the global debate about VAS is important, more attention should be directed towards individual countries where programmatic decisions are made.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sherry A Tanumihardjo
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Lisa M Rogers
- Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, World Health Organization, 1207 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Erin McLean
- UNICEF Headquarters, New York, NY 10017, USA.
| | - Alison Greig
- Infant and Young Child Nutrition, Micronutrient Initiative, Ottawa, ON K2P 2K3, Canada.
| | - Greg S Garrett
- Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Rolf D W Klemm
- Helen Keller International, New York, NY 10010, USA.
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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Cañete A, Cano E, Muñoz-Chápuli R, Carmona R. Role of Vitamin A/Retinoic Acid in Regulation of Embryonic and Adult Hematopoiesis. Nutrients 2017; 9:E159. [PMID: 28230720 PMCID: PMC5331590 DOI: 10.3390/nu9020159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient throughout life. Its physiologically active metabolite retinoic acid (RA), acting through nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RARs), is a potent regulator of patterning during embryonic development, as well as being necessary for adult tissue homeostasis. Vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy increases risk of maternal night blindness and anemia and may be a cause of congenital malformations. Childhood Vitamin A deficiency can cause xerophthalmia, lower resistance to infection and increased risk of mortality. RA signaling appears to be essential for expression of genes involved in developmental hematopoiesis, regulating the endothelial/blood cells balance in the yolk sac, promoting the hemogenic program in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros area and stimulating eryrthropoiesis in fetal liver by activating the expression of erythropoietin. In adults, RA signaling regulates differentiation of granulocytes and enhances erythropoiesis. Vitamin A may facilitate iron absorption and metabolism to prevent anemia and plays a key role in mucosal immune responses, modulating the function of regulatory T cells. Furthermore, defective RA/RARα signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of acute promyelocytic leukemia due to a failure in differentiation of promyelocytes. This review focuses on the different roles played by vitamin A/RA signaling in physiological and pathological mouse hematopoiesis duddurring both, embryonic and adult life, and the consequences of vitamin A deficiency for the blood system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cañete
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Malaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n Malaga 29071, Spain and Andalusian Center for Nanomedicine and Biotechnology (BIONAND), Severo Ochoa 25, Campanillas 29590, Spain.
| | - Elena Cano
- Max-Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert Roessle-Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Ramón Muñoz-Chápuli
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Malaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n Malaga 29071, Spain and Andalusian Center for Nanomedicine and Biotechnology (BIONAND), Severo Ochoa 25, Campanillas 29590, Spain.
| | - Rita Carmona
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Malaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n Malaga 29071, Spain and Andalusian Center for Nanomedicine and Biotechnology (BIONAND), Severo Ochoa 25, Campanillas 29590, Spain.
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Tanumihardjo SA, Russell RM, Stephensen CB, Gannon BM, Craft NE, Haskell MJ, Lietz G, Schulze K, Raiten DJ. Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development (BOND)-Vitamin A Review. J Nutr 2016; 146:1816S-48S. [PMID: 27511929 PMCID: PMC4997277 DOI: 10.3945/jn.115.229708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 268] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2016] [Revised: 04/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development (BOND) project is designed to provide evidence-informed advice to anyone with an interest in the role of nutrition in health. The BOND program provides information with regard to selection, use, and interpretation of biomarkers of nutrient exposure, status, function, and effect, which will be especially useful for readers who want to assess nutrient status. To accomplish this objective, expert panels are recruited to evaluate the literature and to draft comprehensive reports on the current state of the art with regard to specific nutrient biology and available biomarkers for assessing nutritional status at the individual and population levels. Phase I of the BOND project includes the evaluation of biomarkers for 6 nutrients: iodine, folate, zinc, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin B-12. This review of vitamin A is the current article in this series. Although the vitamin was discovered >100 y ago, vitamin A status assessment is not trivial. Serum retinol concentrations are under homeostatic control due in part to vitamin A's use in the body for growth and cellular differentiation and because of its toxic properties at high concentrations. Furthermore, serum retinol concentrations are depressed during infection and inflammation because retinol-binding protein (RBP) is a negative acute-phase reactant, which makes status assessment challenging. Thus, this review describes the clinical and functional indicators related to eye health and biochemical biomarkers of vitamin A status (i.e., serum retinol, RBP, breast-milk retinol, dose-response tests, isotope dilution methodology, and serum retinyl esters). These biomarkers are then related to liver vitamin A concentrations, which are usually considered the gold standard for vitamin A status. With regard to biomarkers, future research questions and gaps in our current understanding as well as limitations of the methods are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry A Tanumihardjo
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | | | | | - Bryan M Gannon
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | | | | | - Georg Lietz
- Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom
| | - Kerry Schulze
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; and
| | - Daniel J Raiten
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD
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Abstract
Vitamin A deficiency was diagnosed in a commercial flock of 13,000 4–6-week-old turkey poults in the summer of 2004. The birds were initially submitted for examination because of a 3% increase in the reported daily mortality of the flock. Clinically, affected birds had stunted growth and ruffled feathers, showed signs of incoordination, and were depressed. At necropsy, pale white pseudomembranous to mucoid material was observed on the mucosal surface of the tongue, oral cavity, portions of the esophagus, and the crop of some birds. Histologically, there was squamous metaplasia of the mucosal epithelium of the oral mucosa, esophagus, sinuses, nasal glands, bronchi, proventriculus, and the bursa of Fabricius. Vitamin A was not detected in the feed sample at a detection limit of 0.5 mg/kg. Serum vitamin A concentrations in 7 birds were very low and ranged from 0.05 to 0.1 mg/L. Vitamin A concentrations in livers were extremely low (0.1 mg/kg wet weight, 1/7 poults) or undetectable (<0.1 mg/kg wet weight, 6/7 poults). A diagnosis of vitamin A deficiency was made based on gross and microscopic lesions and vitamin A concentrations in serum, liver, and feed. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first documented case of vitamin A deficiency in poults submitted from a commercial meat turkey producer comparatively depicting the gross and microscopic lesions with those found in other species of birds and mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- P L Cortes
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), University of California, Fresno Branch, 2789 South Orange Avenue, Fresno, CA 93725, USA
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Abstract
Vitamin A is essential for many physiological processes and is particularly crucial during early life, when vitamin A deficiency increases mortality through elevated rates of infection. This deadly aspect of vitamin A deficiency masks other effects that, while not lethal, may nevertheless cause significant issues if vitamin A insufficiency reoccurs during later childhood or in the adult. One such effect is on the brain. Vitamin A is essential for several regions of the brain, and this chapter focuses on two regions: the hippocampus, needed for learning and memory, and the hypothalamus, necessary to maintain the body's internal physiological balance. Vitamin A, through its active metabolite retinoic acid, is required to support neuroplasticity in the hippocampus, and vitamin A deficiency has a dramatic effect on depressing learning and memory. The effects of vitamin A deficiency on the hypothalamus may lead to depression of appetite and growth. Much of this research has relied on animal studies, and it will be essential in the future to determine the full role of vitamin A in the human brain.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND In areas where vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a public health concern, the maternal dietary intake of vitamin A may be not sufficient to meet either the maternal nutritional requirements, or those of the breastfed infant, due the low retinol concentrations in breast milk. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effects of vitamin A supplementation for postpartum women on maternal and infant health. SEARCH METHODS We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (8 February 2016), LILACS (1982 to December 2015), Web of Science (1945 to December 2015), and the reference lists of retrieved studies. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or cluster-randomised trials that assessed the effects of vitamin A supplementation for postpartum women on maternal and infant health (morbidity, mortality and vitamin A nutritional status). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion, conducted data extraction, assessed risk of bias and checked for accuracy. We assessed the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS Fourteen trials of mainly low or unclear risk of bias, enrolling 25,758 women and infant pairs were included. The supplementation schemes included high, single or double doses of vitamin A (200,000 to 400,000 internation units (IU)), or 7.8 mg daily beta-carotene compared with placebo, no treatment, other (iron); or higher (400,000 IU) versus lower dose (200,000 IU). In all trials, a considerable proportion of infants were at least partially breastfed until six months. Supplement (vitamin A as retinyl, water-miscible or beta-carotene) 200,000 to 400,000 IU versus control (placebo or no treatment) Maternal: We did not find evidence that vitamin A supplementation reduced maternal mortality at 12 months (hazard ratio (HR) 1.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.44 to 2.21; 8577 participants; 1 RCT, moderate-quality evidence). Effects were less certain at six months (risk ratio (RR) 0.50, 95% CI 0.09 to 2.71; 564 participants; 1 RCT; low-quality evidence). The effect on maternal morbidity (diarrhoea, respiratory infections, fever) was uncertain because the quality of evidence was very low (50 participants, 1 RCT). We found insufficient evidence that vitamin A increases abdominal pain (RR 1.28, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.73; 786 participants; 1 RCT; low-quality evidence). We found low-quality evidence that vitamin A supplementation increased breast milk retinol concentrations by 0.20 µmol/L at three to three and a half months (mean difference (MD) 0.20 µmol/L, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.31; 837 participants; 6 RCTs). Infant: We did not find evidence that vitamin A supplementation reduced infant mortality at two to 12 months (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.52; 6090 participants; 5 RCTs; low-quality evidence). Effects on morbidity (gastroenteritis at three months) was uncertain (RR 6.03, 95% CI 0.30 to 121.82; 84 participants; 1 RCT; very low-quality evidence). There was low-quality evidence for the effect on infant adverse outcomes (bulging fontanelle at 24 to 48 hours) (RR 2.00, 95% CI 0.61 to 6.55; 444 participants; 1 RCT). Supplement (vitamin A as retinyl) 400,000 IU versus 200,000 IUThree studies (1312 participants) were included in this comparison. None of the studies assessed maternal mortality, maternal morbidity or infant mortality. Findings from one study showed that there may be little or no difference in infant morbidity between the doses (diarrhoea, respiratory illnesses, and febrile illnesses) (312 participants, data not pooled). No firm conclusion could be drawn on the impact on maternal and infant adverse outcomes (limited data available).The effect on breast milk retinol was also uncertain due to the small amount of information available. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There was no evidence of benefit from different doses of vitamin A supplementation for postpartum women on maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, compared with other doses or placebo. Although maternal breast milk retinol concentrations improved with supplementation, this did not translate to health benefits for either women or infants. Few studies reported on maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. Future studies should include these important outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julicristie M Oliveira
- School of Applied Sciences, University of CampinasRua Pedro Zaccaria, 1300LimeiraSão PauloBrazil13484‐350
| | - Roman Allert
- Medical Center ‐ University of FreiburgCochrane GermanyBerliner Allee 29FreiburgBWGermany79110
- University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyTheodor‐Stern‐Kai 7FrankfurtHessenGermany60596
| | - Christine E East
- Monash University/Monash HealthSchool of Nursing and Midwifery/Maternity Services246 Clayton RoadClaytonVictoriaAustralia3168
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Singer JR, Bakall B, Gordon GM, Reddy RK. Treatment of vitamin A deficiency retinopathy with sublingual vitamin A palmitate. Doc Ophthalmol 2016; 132:137-45. [PMID: 26980447 DOI: 10.1007/s10633-016-9533-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To report treatment of vitamin A deficiency retinopathy with sublingual vitamin A drops. METHODS Case report with review of the literature. RESULTS A 69-year-old Caucasian woman with a history of small bowel resection presented with progressive symptoms of bilateral nyctalopia and decreased visual acuity. Ophthalmic examination revealed bilateral conjunctival xerosis and fine white granular deposits in the midperipheral retina suggestive of vitamin A deficiency. Full-field electroretinogram (ERG), multifocal ERG (mfERG), and two-color dark adaptometry revealed significant impairment of rod and cone photoreceptor function. Kinetic perimetry demonstrated depressed macular sensitivity with constriction of the finer isopters. After 5 months of treatment with sublingual vitamin A drops, the patient's vision, ERG, mfERG, dark adaptometry, and perimetry normalized. A review of the literature summarizing the electrophysiologic testing in vitamin A deficiency is also discussed. CONCLUSIONS This case highlights novel observations on the effects of sublingual vitamin A supplementation for acquired vitamin A deficiency retinopathy. Sublingual vitamin A may represent a viable and efficacious treatment modality for vitamin A deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R Singer
- Associated Retina Consultants, 1750 East Glendale Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, 85020, USA
| | - Benjamin Bakall
- Associated Retina Consultants, 1750 East Glendale Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, 85020, USA
- University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Grant M Gordon
- Associated Retina Consultants, 1750 East Glendale Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, 85020, USA
| | - Rahul K Reddy
- Associated Retina Consultants, 1750 East Glendale Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, 85020, USA.
- University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
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Saenz-de-Viteri M, Sádaba LM. Optical Coherence Tomography Assessment Before and After Vitamin Supplementation in a Patient With Vitamin A Deficiency: A Case Report and Literature Review. Medicine (Baltimore) 2016; 95:e2680. [PMID: 26871796 PMCID: PMC4753891 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000002680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A is an essential fat-soluble vitamin important for the function of various body systems. In the eye, vitamin A is essential for the synthesis of visual pigments in photoreceptors. Vitamin A deficiency is a rare condition in the developed countries and might follow bariatric or intestinal bypass surgery.We present the case of a 67-year-old male that complained of visual loss and nyctalopia. Patient had bariatric surgery 15 years before for weight loss. Low serum levels of vitamin A confirmed the diagnosis and patient started vitamin A supplementation. Visual fields, macular thickness, and ganglion cell layer thickness were recorded and monitored 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year after the beginning of therapy. Visual fields were significantly altered and central macular thickness and ganglion cell layer thickness were reduced, but the first 2 showed a significant recovery with vitamin supplementation therapy. By the 1st month of treatment patient referred a complete remission of visual symptoms. Further, we observed hyperreflective material accumulating beneath a partially disrupted ellipsoid band in the high definition optical coherence tomography that also improved progressively with vitamin repletion.Newer and more sophisticated imaging systems have increased our knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for retinal diseases. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the effect of vitamin A deficiency and vitamin supplementation on macular thickness. This case also highlights the importance of considering bariatric bypass surgery as a cause of vitamin A deficiency in developed countries.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization recommends routine vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy or lactation in areas with endemic vitamin A deficiency (where night blindness occurs), based on the expectation that supplementation will improve maternal and newborn outcomes including mortality, morbidity and prevention of anaemia or infection. OBJECTIVES To review the effects of supplementation of vitamin A, or one of its derivatives, during pregnancy, alone or in combination with other vitamins and micronutrients, on maternal and newborn clinical outcomes. SEARCH METHODS We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (30 March 2015) and reference lists of retrieved studies. SELECTION CRITERIA All randomised or quasi-randomised trials, including cluster-randomised trials, evaluating the effect of vitamin A supplementation in pregnant women. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. MAIN RESULTS We reviewed 106 reports of 35 trials, published between 1931 and 2015. We included 19 trials including over 310,000 women, excluded 15 trials and one is ongoing. Overall, seven trials were judged to be of low risk of bias, three were high risk of bias and for nine it was unclear. 1) Vitamin A alone versus placebo or no treatmentOverall, when trial results are pooled, vitamin A supplementation does not affect the risk of maternal mortality (risk ratio (RR) 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65 to 1.20; four trials Ghana, Nepal, Bangladesh, UK, high quality evidence), perinatal mortality (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.07; one study, high quality evidence), neonatal mortality, stillbirth, neonatal anaemia, preterm birth (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.01, five studies, high quality evidence), or the risk of having a low birthweight baby.Vitamin A supplementation reduces the risk of maternal night blindness (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.98; two trials). There is evidence that vitamin A supplements may reduce maternal clinical infection (RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.99, five trials; South Africa, Nepal, Indonesia, Tanzania, UK, low quality evidence) and maternal anaemia (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.94; three studies, moderate quality evidence). 2) Vitamin A alone versus micronutrient supplements without vitamin AVitamin A alone compared to micronutrient supplements without vitamin A does not decrease maternal clinical infection (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.18, two trials, 591 women). No other primary or secondary outcomes were reported 3) Vitamin A with other micronutrients versus micronutrient supplements without vitamin AVitamin A supplementation (with other micronutrients) does not decrease perinatal mortality (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.10 to 2.69; one study, low quality evidence), maternal anaemia (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.09; three studies, low quality evidence), maternal clinical infection (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.13; I² = 45%, two studies, low quality evidence) or preterm birth (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.93; one study, low quality evidence).In HIV-positive women vitamin A supplementation given with other micronutrients was associated with fewer low birthweight babies (< 2.5 kg) in the supplemented group in one study (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.96; one study, 594 women). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS The pooled results of three large trials in Nepal, Ghana and Bangladesh (with over 153,500 women) do not currently suggest a role for antenatal vitamin A supplementation to reduce maternal or perinatal mortality. However, the populations studied were probably different with regard to baseline vitamin A status and there were problems with follow-up of women. There is good evidence that antenatal vitamin A supplementation reduces maternal night blindness, maternal anaemia for women who live in areas where vitamin A deficiency is common or who are HIV-positive. In addition the available evidence suggests a reduction in maternal infection, but these data are not of a high quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E McCauley
- Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineCentre for Maternal and Newborn Health, Department of International Public HealthPembroke PlaceLiverpoolMerseysideUKL3 5QA
| | - Nynke van den Broek
- Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineCentre for Maternal and Newborn Health, Department of International Public HealthPembroke PlaceLiverpoolMerseysideUKL3 5QA
| | - Lixia Dou
- The University of LiverpoolCochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group, Department of Women's and Children's HealthFirst Floor, Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation TrustCrown StreetLiverpoolUKL8 7SS
| | - Mohammad Othman
- Faculty of Medicine, Albaha UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyAlbahaSaudi Arabia
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Neonatal vitamin A supplementation in low-income communities. Arch Dis Child 2015; 100:786. [PMID: 26078471 DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2015-309090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith P West
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 20215, USA.
| | - Alfred Sommer
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 20215, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Ane Bærent Fisker
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Compenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Peter Aaby
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Compenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christine Stabell Benn
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Compenhagen, Denmark
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Stabell Benn
- University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark; Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark; Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.
| | - Peter Aaby
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark; Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Ane Bærent Fisker
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark; Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
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Tulchinsky TH. The key role of government in addressing the pandemic of micronutrient deficiency conditions in Southeast Asia. Nutrients 2015; 7:2518-23. [PMID: 25856222 PMCID: PMC4425158 DOI: 10.3390/nu7042518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2015] [Revised: 03/28/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Micronutrient deficiency conditions are a major global public health problem. While the private sector has an important role in addressing this problem, the main responsibility lies with national governments, in cooperation with international agencies and donors. Mandatory fortification of basic foods provides a basic necessary intake for the majority and needs to be supported by provision of essential vitamin and mineral supplements for mothers and children and other high risk groups. Fortification by government mandate and regulation is essential with cooperation by private sector food manufacturers, and in the context of broader policies for poverty reduction, education and agricultural reform. Iron, iodine, vitamin A, vitamin B complex, folic acid, zinc, vitamin D and vitamin B12 are prime examples of international fortification experience achieved by proactive governmental nutrition policies. These are vital to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and their follow-up sustainable global health targets. National governmental policies for nutritional security and initiatives are essential to implement both food fortification and targeted supplementation policies to reduce the huge burden of micronutrient deficiency conditions in Southeast Asia and other parts of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore H Tulchinsky
- Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah, Hadassah Medical Center, Ein Karem, Jerusalem 91220, Israel.
- School of Health Professions, Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon 78108, Israel .
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Mazumder S, Taneja S, Bhatia K, Yoshida S, Kaur J, Dube B, Toteja GS, Bahl R, Fontaine O, Martines J, Bhandari N. Efficacy of early neonatal supplementation with vitamin A to reduce mortality in infancy in Haryana, India (Neovita): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2015; 385:1333-42. [PMID: 25499546 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(14)60891-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin A supplementation in children aged 6 months to 5 years has been shown to reduce mortality. The efficacy of neonatal supplementation with vitamin A to reduce mortality in the first 6 months of life is plausible but not established. We aimed to assess the efficacy of neonatal oral supplementation with vitamin A to reduce mortality between supplementation and 6 months of age. METHODS We undertook an individually randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in Haryana, India. We identified pregnant women through a surveillance programme undertaken every 3 months of all female residents in two districts of Haryana, India, aged 15-49 years, and screened every identified livebirth. Eligible participants were neonates whose parents consented to participate, were likely to stay in the study area until at least 6 months of age, and were able to feed orally at the time of enrolment. Participants were randomly assigned to receive oral capsules containing vitamin A (retinol palmitate 50,000 IU plus vitamin E 9·5-12·6 IU) or placebo (vitamin E 9·5-12·6 IU) within 72 h of birth. Randomisation was in blocks of 20 according to a randomisation list prepared by a statistician not otherwise involved with the trial. Investigators, participants' families, and the data analysis team were masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was mortality between supplementation and 6 months of age. Analysis included all participants assigned to study groups. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01138449, and the Indian Council of Medical Research Clinical Trial Registry, number CTRI/2010/091/000220. FINDINGS Between June 24, 2010, and July 1, 2012 we screened 47,777 neonates and randomly assigned 44,984 to receive vitamin A (22,493) or placebo (22,491). Between supplementation and 6 months of age, 656 infants died in the vitamin A group compared with 726 in the placebo group (29·2 per 1000 vs 32·3 per 1000; difference -3·1 per 1000, 95% CI -6·3 to 0·1; risk ratio 0·90, 95% CI 0·81 to 1·00). We noted no significant interactions between the intervention effect and sex on mortality at 6 months (p=0·409). Supplementation with 50,000 IU vitamin A within the first 72 h of life was generally safe and well tolerated, with the exception of a small excess risk of transient bulging fontanelle (205 cases in the vitamin A group confirmed by physician vs 80 cases in the placebo group, risk ratio 2·56 [95% CI 1·98-3·32]). INTERPRETATION The findings of this study, done in a population in which vitamin A deficiency is a moderate public health problem, are consistent with a modest reduction in mortality between supplementation and 6 months of age. These findings must be viewed together with similar trials in other populations to enable determination of appropriate public health policy. FUNDING Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to WHO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarmila Mazumder
- Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | - Sunita Taneja
- Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | - Kiran Bhatia
- Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | - Sachiyo Yoshida
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jasmine Kaur
- Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | - Brinda Dube
- Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | - G S Toteja
- Centre for Promotion of Nutrition Research and Training, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Rajiv Bahl
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Fontaine
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jose Martines
- Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health (CISMAC), Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Nita Bhandari
- Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batool A Haider
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zulfiqar A Bhutta
- Robert Harding Chair in Global Child Health and Policy, Centre for Global Child Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto M5G 0A4, ON, Canada; Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
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Edmond KM, Newton S, Shannon C, O'Leary M, Hurt L, Thomas G, Amenga-Etego S, Tawiah-Agyemang C, Gram L, Hurt CN, Bahl R, Owusu-Agyei S, Kirkwood BR. Effect of early neonatal vitamin A supplementation on mortality during infancy in Ghana (Neovita): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2015; 385:1315-23. [PMID: 25499545 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(14)60880-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Results of randomised controlled trials of newborn (age 1-3 days) vitamin A supplementation have been inconclusive. The WHO is coordinating three large randomised trials in Ghana, India, and Tanzania (Neovita trials). We present the findings of the Neovita trial in Ghana. METHODS This study was a population-based, individually randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. The trial participants were infants aged at least 2 h, identified at home or facilities on the day of birth or in the next 2 days, able to feed orally, and likely to stay in the study area for at least 6 months. They were randomly assigned (ratio 1:1) to receive either one oral dose of vitamin A (50,000 IU) or placebo immediately after recruitment. The research team and parents of the infants were masked to treatment assignment. Follow-up home visits were undertaken every 4 weeks, when data were recorded for deaths, facility use, and care seeking. The primary outcome was post-supplementation mortality to 6 months of age. Analysis was by intention to treat. Potential adverse events were recorded at 1 and 3 days after supplementation. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR)CTRN12610000582055. FINDINGS We assessed 26,414 livebirths for eligibility between Aug 16, 2010, and Nov 7, 2011. We recruited 22,955 newborn infants, with 11,474 randomly assigned to receive vitamin A and 11,481 to receive placebo. Loss to follow-up was low with vital status at 6 months of age reported for 22,698 (98·9%) infants. We recorded 278 post-supplementation deaths to 6 months of age in the vitamin A group (mortality risk 24·5 in 1000 supplemented infants) and 248 deaths in the placebo group (mortality risk 21·8 per 1000 supplemented infants), relative risk (RR) 1·12 (95% CI 0·95-1·33; p=0·183) and risk difference (RD) 2·66 (95% CI -1·25 to 6·57; p=0·18). Adverse events within 3 days of supplementation did not differ by trial group. 122 infants died in the first 3 days after supplementation; 70 (0·6%) in the vitamin A and 52 (0·5%) in the placebo group (risk ratio [RR] 1·35, 95% CI 0·94-1·93, p=0·102). 53 infants were reported to have a bulging fontanelle; 32 (0·3%) in the vitamin A group and 21 (0·2%) in the placebo group (RR 1·53, 0·88-2·62, p=0·130). INTERPRETATION The results of this trial do not support inclusion of newborn vitamin A supplementation as a child survival strategy in Ghana. FUNDING Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant to the WHO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen M Edmond
- School of Paediatrics and Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - Sam Newton
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | | | - Lisa Hurt
- School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Gyan Thomas
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana
| | | | | | - Lu Gram
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Chris N Hurt
- School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Rajiv Bahl
- World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Seth Owusu-Agyei
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK; Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana
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Masanja H, Smith ER, Muhihi A, Briegleb C, Mshamu S, Ruben J, Noor RA, Khudyakov P, Yoshida S, Martines J, Bahl R, Fawzi WW. Effect of neonatal vitamin A supplementation on mortality in infants in Tanzania (Neovita): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2015; 385:1324-32. [PMID: 25499543 PMCID: PMC4419827 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(14)61731-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Supplementation of vitamin A in children aged 6-59 months improves child survival and is implemented as global policy. Studies of the efficacy of supplementation of infants in the neonatal period have inconsistent results. We aimed to assess the efficacy of oral supplementation with vitamin A given to infants in the first 3 days of life to reduce mortality between supplementation and 180 days (6 months). METHODS We did an individually randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of infants born in the Morogoro and Dar es Salaam regions of Tanzania. Women were identified during antenatal clinic visits or in the labour wards of public health facilities in Dar es Salaam. In Kilombero, Ulanga, and Kilosa districts, women were seen at home as part of the health and demographic surveillance system. Newborn infants were eligible for randomisation if they were able to feed orally and if the family intended to stay in the study area for at least 6 months. We randomly assigned infants to receive one dose of 50,000 IU of vitamin A or placebo in the first 3 days after birth. Infants were randomly assigned in blocks of 20, and investigators, participants' families, and data analysis teams were masked to treatment assignment. We assessed infants on day 1 and day 3 after dosing, as well as at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after birth. The primary endpoint was mortality at 6 months, assessed by field interviews. The primary analysis included only children who were not lost to follow-up. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), number ACTRN12610000636055. FINDINGS Between Aug 26, 2010, and March 3, 2013, 31,999 newborn babies were randomly assigned to receive vitamin A (n=15,995) or placebo (n=16,004; 15,428 and 15,464 included in analysis of mortality at 6 months, respectively). We did not find any evidence for a beneficial effect of vitamin A supplementation on mortality in infants at 6 months (26 deaths per 1000 livebirths in vitamin A vs 24 deaths per 1000 livebirths in placebo group; risk ratio 1·10, 95% CI 0·95-1·26; p=0·193). There was no evidence of a differential effect for vitamin A supplementation on mortality by sex; risk ratio for mortality at 6 months for boys was 1·08 (0·90-1·29) and for girls was 1·12 (0·91-1·39). There was also no evidence of adverse effects of supplementation within 3 days of dosing. INTERPRETATION Neonatal vitamin A supplementation did not result in any immediate adverse events, but had no beneficial effect on survival in infants in Tanzania. These results strengthen the evidence against a global policy recommendation for neonatal vitamin A supplementation. FUNDING Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to WHO.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily R Smith
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Global Health and Population, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alfa Muhihi
- African Academy for Public Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Christina Briegleb
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Global Health and Population, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Salum Mshamu
- African Academy for Public Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Julia Ruben
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Global Health and Population, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ramadhani Abdallah Noor
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Global Health and Population, Boston, MA, USA; African Academy for Public Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Polyna Khudyakov
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Global Health and Population, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sachiyo Yoshida
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jose Martines
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Rajiv Bahl
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Wafaie W Fawzi
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Global Health and Population, Boston, MA, USA
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Sachdev HPS, Kapil U. Neonatal Vitamin A Supplementation for Improving Infant Survival:Hope or hype? Natl Med J India 2015; 28:64-65. [PMID: 26612146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Umesh Kapil
- Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition Unit;
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Mason J, Greiner T, Shrimpton R, Sanders D, Yukich J. Response to: Letter to the editor by C Benn, A Fisker and P Aaby. Int J Epidemiol 2015; 44:367-8. [PMID: 25586994 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyu266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Kapil U, Dwivedi S, Sachdev HS, Dwivedi SN, Pandey RM, Hirdyani H, Upadhyay A. Resolution of Bitot's spots following mega-dose vitamin A supplementation in children between 1 and 5 years of age. Public Health Nutr 2014; 17:1614-9. [PMID: 23768518 PMCID: PMC10282231 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980013001584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2012] [Revised: 05/10/2013] [Accepted: 05/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The prevalence of Bitot's spots (BS) is often used to quantify vitamin A deficiency burden in India, both before and after mega-dose vitamin A supplementation (MVAS) programmes. However, the proportion of BS cured following this intervention is unclear in contemporary times. The current study evaluated the responsiveness of BS over 1 year to MVAS administered as per the national programme in rural India. DESIGN Prospective, community-based, 1-year follow-up of a cohort. SETTING Rural Uttar Pradesh, India. SUBJECTS Two hundred and sixty-two children with BS, aged between 1 and 5 years, administered 60 mg (retinol equivalent) of vitamin A on diagnosis and after 1 month. Cure or resolution was defined if there was no discernible BS in either eye. RESULTS During 1 year, only three children were lost to follow-up. At 6 months of follow-up (MVAS at baseline and 1 month later), 51·1 (95% CI 45·3, 57·3) % were classified as cured. The corresponding figure at 1 year (additional MVAS at 6 months) was 59·9 (95% CI 54·1, 65·9) %. Among those cured at 6 months, about half and three-quarters had resolved at 2 and 3 months, respectively. Apart from male gender, there were no significant sociodemographic or clinical predictors of response. CONCLUSIONS Substantial non-response to MVAS at 6 months (49%) and 1 year (40%) of follow-up suggests that presently in the Indian subcontinent, BS is a relatively crude indicator of severe current vitamin A deficiency. For programmatic decisions and evaluation, the public health burden of vitamin A deficiency should not be assessed solely through BS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umesh Kapil
- Department of Human Nutrition, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India
| | - Shraddha Dwivedi
- Department of Community Medicine, MLN Medical College, Allahabad, India
| | - Harshpal S Sachdev
- Department of Pediatrics and Clinical Epidemiology, Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, B-16, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - SN Dwivedi
- Department of Biostatistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India
| | - RM Pandey
- Department of Biostatistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India
| | - Harsha Hirdyani
- Department of Human Nutrition, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India
| | - Ashish Upadhyay
- Department of Biostatistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India
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Mensi A, Borel P, Goncalves A, Nowicki M, Gleize B, Roi S, Chobert JM, Haertlé T, Reboul E. β-lactoglobulin as a vector for β-carotene food fortification. J Agric Food Chem 2014; 62:5916-5924. [PMID: 24857546 DOI: 10.1021/jf501683s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Food fortification is a strategy to overcome vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. Our aim was to investigate the involvement of the bovine milk protein β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg), a potential retinoid carrier, in vitamin A absorption. In vivo experiments were conducted by force-feeding mice with retinol or β-carotene associated with either β-Lg or oil-in-water emulsion, with subsequent determination of both vitamin A intestinal mucosa and plasma contents. Caco-2 cells were then used to investigate the mechanisms of vitamin A uptake when delivered by either β-Lg or mixed micelles. We showed that β-Lg was as efficient as emulsion to promote β-carotene, but not retinol, absorption in mice. Similar results were obtained in vitro. Interestingly, an inhibitor of the Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I significantly decreased the uptake of micellar β-carotene but not that of β-carotene bound to β-Lg. Overall, we showed that β-Lg would be a good vector for β-carotene food fortification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azza Mensi
- Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages, INRA, UR 1268 , F-44316 Nantes, France
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Micronutrient deficiencies continue to constitute a major burden of disease, particularly in Africa and South Asia. Programs to address micronutrient deficiencies have been increasing in number, type, and scale in recent years, creating an ever-growing need to understand their combined coverage levels, costs, and impacts so as to more effectively combat deficiencies, avoid putting individuals at risk for excess intakes, and ensure the efficient use of public health resources. OBJECTIVE To analyze combinations of the two current programs--sugar fortification and Child Health Week (CHW)--together with four prospective programs--vegetable oil fortification, wheat flour fortification, maize meal fortification, and biofortified vitamin A maize--to identify Zambia's optimal vitamin A portfolio. METHODS Combining program cost estimates and 30-year Zambian food demand projections, together with the Zambian 2005 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey, the annual costs, coverage, impact, and cost-effectiveness of 62 Zambian portfolios were modeled for the period from 2013 to 2042. RESULTS Optimal portfolios are identified for each of five alternative criteria: average cost-effectiveness, incremental cost-effectiveness, coverage maximization, health impact maximization, and affordability. The most likely scenario is identified to be one that starts with the current portfolio and takes into account all five criteria. Starting with CHW and sugar fortification, it phases in vitamin A maize, oil, wheat flour, and maize meal (in that order) to eventually include all six individual interventions. CONCLUSIONS Combining cost and Household Consumption and Expenditure Survey (HCES) data provides a powerful evidence-generating tool with which to understand how individual micronutrient programs interact and to quantify the tradeoffs involved in selecting alternative program portfolios.
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Michelazzo FB, Oliveira JM, Stefanello J, Luzia LA, Rondó PHC. The influence of vitamin A supplementation on iron status. Nutrients 2013; 5:4399-413. [PMID: 24212089 PMCID: PMC3847738 DOI: 10.3390/nu5114399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2013] [Revised: 10/10/2013] [Accepted: 10/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A (VA) and iron deficiencies are important nutritional problems, affecting particularly preschool children, as well as pregnant and lactating women. A PubMed (National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA) literature review was carried out to search for clinical trials published from 1992 to 2013 that assessed the influence of vitamin A supplementation on iron status. Simultaneous use of iron and vitamin A supplements seemed to be more effective to prevent iron deficiency anemia than the use of these micronutrients alone. Some studies did not include a placebo group and only a few of them assessed vitamin A status of the individuals at baseline. Moreover, the studies did not consider any inflammatory marker and a reasonable number of iron parameters. Another important limitation was the lack of assessment of hemoglobin variants, especially in regions with a high prevalence of anemia. Assessment of hemoglobin variants, inflammatory markers and anemia of chronic inflammation would be important to the studies investigated. Studies involving different populations are necessary to elucidate the interaction between the two micronutrients, especially regarding iron absorption and modulation of erythropoiesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda B. Michelazzo
- Department of Food Science and Experimental Nutrition, School of Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil; E-Mail:
| | | | - Juliana Stefanello
- Department of Maternal-Infant Nursing and Public Health, College of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil; E-Mail:
| | - Liania A. Luzia
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil; E-Mail:
| | - Patricia H. C. Rondó
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil; E-Mail:
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +55-11-3061-7867; Fax: +55-11-3061-7130
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