title: Safety aspects of vitamin A administration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review longstanding experience in the safe use of vitamin A as therapeutic agent in prematurely born human neonates and more recently with young children infected with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
  
  
  METHODS
  The studies reviewed were designed to intervene with vitamin A in the form of retinyl palmitate in human neonates and infants showing low levels of retinol in the blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evidence is presented that vitamin A can be administered safely to human neonates and infants without apparent acute toxic effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A carefully designed mode of administration of vitamin A can improve a patient's vitamin A status as determined by the elevation of blood vitamin A levels which in turn may be beneficial in lowering the morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232-0146, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chytil
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A