title: Failure to thrive and its relationship to serum vitamin A levels and diet.
abstract: Serum vitamin A and retinol-binding protein (RBP) levels were determined in a group of 34 children between 1 and 4 years of age with failure to thrive and in 34 age- and sex-matched controls. Both groups of children were also assessed in respect of anthropometry and diet. Vitamin A levels in patients (0-32.2 micrograms/100 ml; median 16.9 micrograms/100 ml) did not differ significantly from controls (6.4-47.2 micrograms/100 ml; median 16.1 micrograms/100ml). Fourteen patients (42%) and 4 controls (12%) had vitamin A levels below 10 micrograms/100 ml. RBP levels in patients (0.45-3.50 mg/100 ml; median 2.17 mg/100 ml) also did not differ significantly from those in controls (1.21-3.66 mg/100 ml; median 2.06 mg/100 ml). No clinical features of vitamin A deficiency were detected. Weight and height for age, weight for height, mid-upper arm circumference and head circumference differed significantly between patients and controls (P < 0.0001 in each instance). Although within the recommendations for intake, patients had a significantly lower intake of the essential fatty acid C 18:2 (N = 6) (linoleic acid) and vitamin A. In view of the current proposed relationship between vitamin A status and infectious diseases, the prevalence of biochemical vitamin A deficiency in children in the Cape Town community studied may contribute to the morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases in the area to a greater degree than has been suspected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Tygerberg Hospital, W. Cape.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Donald
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shires
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Langenhoven
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Staden
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Labadarios
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005183:Failure to Thrive / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D014801:Vitamin A