title: Relationship between acute diarrhoea and low plasma levels of vitamin A and retinol binding protein.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess vitamin A status and association between acute diarrhoea and plasma levels of vitamin A through cross-sectional comparison in children. Plasma vitamin A was measured by colorimetric method of Neeld & Pearson and RBP by radial immunodiffusion technique. Seventy eight children (aged 18-119 months), 26 with current history of diarrhoea and 52 children as controls (outpatient from the Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital in metropolitan area of São Paulo City, Brazil) were studied. Children with history of diarrhoea showed significant low levels (mean +/- s.e.) as compared to controls, vitamin A (15.87 +/- 1.4 micrograms/dl vs. 21.14 +/- 1.15 micrograms/dl, p < 0.007) and RBP (1.70 +/- 0.2 mg/dl vs. 2.52 +/- 0.11 mg/dl). Multivariate logistic regression adjusted by sex, age, nutritional status and mother education revealed association between diarrhoea and inadequate levels of vitamin A and RBP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, Brazil. Melendez@usp.br
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Velasquez-Melendez
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Roncada
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toporovski
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Okani
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D014801:Vitamin A