title: A randomized controlled trial of vitamin A supplementation in acute diarrhea.
abstract: Effect of vitamin A supplementation on duration of diarrhea was evaluated in 108 cases between 6 months to 5 years of age suffering from acute diarrhea of less than 3 days duration and results were compared with equal number of age and sex matched controls having comparable feeding pattern, nutritional and socio-economic status and clinical profile who did not receive vitamin A supplementation. There was no significant difference in the mean duration of diarrhea in cases who received vitamin A and the controls. However, on subgroup analysis of the study and control groups a significant (p = 0.009) beneficial effect of vitamin A supplementation was noticed in cases who had a pre-existing vitamin A deficiency with CIC stage 3/5 and above. Even though vitamin A supplementation in malnourished children did not significantly alter the duration of diarrhea, a beneficial effect was observed in children who had CIC state 3 and above in association with malnutrition (p = 0.025). Our results indicate that vitamin A supplementation does not significantly reduce the duration of a diarrheal episode. However, in children with pre-existing vitamin A deficiency particularly those who have associated malnutrition it may have a beneficial effect.
authors.affiliation: Diarrhea Training and Treatment Unit, Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, New Delhi.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dewan
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Patwari
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dewan
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000150:complications; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A