title: Vitamin A relative dose response test: validation by intravenous injection in children with liver disease.
abstract: The relative dose response (RDR) test has been proposed as a tool for estimation of total body stores of vitamin A. In this study we have validated a variation of this test in children with or without liver disease. Administration of vitamin A was done by intravenous injection of 1000 micrograms of retinyl palmitate. We conclude that the RDR test by intravenous injection performed after 5 h is a reliable and sensitive indicator of vitamin A status. Values found were greater than 20% when liver vitamin A concentration is less than 20 micrograms/g liver and less than 10% when liver vitamin A concentration is greater than 20 micrograms/g liver. We also conclude that the RDR test can be applied to evaluate the efficiency of vitamin A therapy and we confirm that plasma retinol levels should not be used to screen vitamin A status.
mesh_terms: D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000150:complications*; D001706:Biopsy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004224:Diterpenes; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D013997:Time Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate