title: The effect of massive doses of vitamin A on the signs of vitamin A deficiency in preschool children.
abstract: Marked seasonal variation in the prevalence of signs of vitamin A deficiency was found in the 2nd year of a continuing study of children age 0 to 4-1/2 years in a village in West Bengal, confirming results of a previous 18-month study. Administration of 200,000 IU of vitamin A every 4 months completely eliminated night blindness and prevented the development of new cases of Bitot's spot in a statistically significant number of children. The effectiveness of massive doses of vitamin A, administered at intervals of 4 months, as a short-term measure to fight the problem, was confirmed in this village. The study yielded additional evidence of the complex etiology of Bitot's spot, since alternate day dose of vitamin A in addition to massive therapy failed to eliminate these spots.
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003315:Cornea; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004848:Epithelium; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D009755:Night Blindness / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012621:Seasons; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A