Relationship between vitamin A deficiency, malnutrition, and conjunctival impression cytology.
One hundred seventy-eight children from three villages were studied in a cross-sectional fashion to evaluate the efficacy of conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) to characterize vitamin A status of individual children and populations of children and to examine the relationship of vitamin A status to nutritional status. Although children with abnormal CIC results had lower retinol concentrations than those with normal CIC results (P < 0.02), CIC exhibited poor sensitivity and specificity. Results of a CIC prevalence criterion were concordant with plasma retinol criteria in characterizing the vitamin A status of each community. Plasma retinol measurements, but not CIC, were associated with height (P < 0.003) and severe stunting (P < 0.001). We conclude that although CIC was a poor indicator of an individual child's vitamin A status, it accurately characterized the risk of vitamin A deficiency of communities. Furthermore, vitamin A deficiency defined by circulating retinol measurements but not CIC is associated with poor linear growth.
Fuchs
G J
GJ
Research Institute For Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
Ausayakhun
S
S
Ruckphaopunt
S
S
Tansuhaj
A
A
Suskind
R M
RM
D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003584:Cytological Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology
D014801:Vitamin A