Vitamin A status in children with pneumonia.
OBJECTIVE
To assess vitamin A status in children with pneumonia.


METHODS
Thirty-four hospitalised patients with pneumonia were randomly allocated into two groups: the study group, besides the routine treatment, received a high dose of aqueous retinyl palmitate oral solution; the control group received only the routine treatment.


METHODS
The concentrations of plasma vitamin A and carotenoids were determined by colorimetric method. Retinol binding protein (RBP) was determined by the radial immunodiffusion technique.


RESULTS
After 1 week of treatment there was a statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in the levels (mean +/- s.e.) of vitamin A (study group: 14.1 +/- 1.6 to 26.5 +/- 5.8 micrograms/dl; control group: 16.1 +/- 3.3 to 24.1 +/- 2.3 micrograms/dl) and RBP (study group: 0.8 +/- 0.2 to 2.2 +/- 0.6 mg/dl; control group: 0.6 +/- 0.2 to 3.0 +/- 0.5 mg/dl) in both groups as compared to the baseline. On day 7 of treatment when the average levels of vitamin A (26.5 +/- 5.8 and 24.1 +/- 2.3 micrograms/dl) were compared, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that low levels of circulating plasma vitamin A in child with pneumonia may be a consequence of acute phase of infectious disease.
Velasquez-Melendez
G
G
Departamento de Nutrição, Facultade de Saúde Pública da Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil.
Okani
E T
ET
Kiertsman
B
B
Roncada
M J
MJ
D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000097:blood; D000284:Administration, Oral; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004224:Diterpenes; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy
D004224:Diterpenes; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate; D002338:Carotenoids