Vitamin A and acute respiratory infections.
By questionnaire we studied the occurrence of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in 1961 children between 0 and 5 years old from a total of 3225 families in Cikutra, Bandung. In 38.7% of them 200.000 IU vitamin A supplement had been given at least once during the preceding year. Mild or moderate ARI occurred in 54.7% of the children during the previous month and in 87.9% during the previous year; severe ARI occurred in 5.5% during the previous month and in 16.8% during the previous year. Surprisingly slightly more ARI occurred in children with vitamin A supplementation. However, vitamin A had been distributed more to low income than high income families, and in the latter group significantly less children suffered from ARI (p less than 0.05; 44% versus 54 a 56%).
Kartasasmita
C B
CB
Medical Faculty, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, Indonesia.
Rosmayudi
O
O
Soemantri
E S
ES
Deville
W
W
Demedts
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012923:Social Class; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014801:Vitamin A