title: Subclinical vitamin A deficiency in undersix children in Nagpur, India.
abstract: The present cross sectional study was carried out to estimate prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency among undersix children by using conjunctival impression cytology in urban slums of Nagpur city in central India. The study population included 308 non-xerophthalmic undersix children selected randomly. Conjunctival impression cytology was performed by standard procedure. Out of 308 children 110 (35.7%) had subclinical vitamin A deficiency. Increasing prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency was non-significantly associated with advancing age. Higher prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency was observed in severely malnourished children. The prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency observed in this study (35.7%) is much more than the criteria laid down by WHO, which warrants community wide intervention. This problem assumes more significance because they are apparently healthy and if timely vitamin A supplementation is not given, any intercurrent infection is likely to worsen the vitamin A status and result in known consequences of xerophthalmia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Government Medical College, Nagpur, India.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Khandait
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Vasudeo
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Zodpey
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Kumbhalkar
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Koram
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000166:cytology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications; D011204:Poverty Areas; D015995:Prevalence; D014505:Urban Population; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*