title: Vitamin A deficiency in children with acute diarrhoea: a community-based study in Bangladesh.
abstract: The prevalences of nightblindness and xerophthalmia were assessed in 400 children, aged 6-59 months, with acute diarrhoea in a rural community in Bangladesh. The prevalences of nightblindness, conjunctival xerosis, and Bitot's spot were 7.8%, 9.5%, and 2.7% respectively. Fifty-two percent of the children who complained of nightblindness had ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency compared to 9% of those without nightblindness (p < 0.000). The nightblindness was significantly higher among the male children, aged 24-59 months, who were dysenteric and undernourished, did not consume vitamin A-containing foods daily, and were not breastfed. The coverage of periodic administration of vitamin A capsule was inversely related to the prevalence of nightblindness. This finding was determined by logistic regression analysis of data indicating that a combination of male sex, history of dysentery, absence of periodic administration of vitamin A treatment, and daily intake of vitamin A-containing foods gave the best-fitted model with an overall prediction of 92.5% of being nightblind. The findings of the study suggest that mothers should be educated to observe their diarrhoeal children about development of nightblindness and to seek treatment for it. The locally-relevant nutrition education should also be offered to them.
authors.affiliation: Chittagong Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: F U
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Mahmood
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009755:Night Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012307:Risk Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A