title: Impact of supplementing newborn infants with vitamin A on early infant mortality: community based randomised trial in southern India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of supplementing newborn infants with vitamin A on mortality at age 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community based, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two rural districts of Tamil Nadu, southern India.
  
  
  METHODS
  11 619 newborn infants allocated 24 000 IU oral vitamin A or placebo on days 1 and 2 after delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary outcome measure was mortality at age 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infants in the vitamin A group had a 22% reduction in total mortality (95% confidence interval 4% to 37%) compared with those in the placebo group. Vitamin A had an impact on mortality between two weeks and three months after treatment, with no additional impact after three months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supplementing newborn infants with vitamin A can significantly reduce early infant mortality.
authors.affiliation: Aravind Centre for Women, Children and Community Health, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Lakshmi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rahmathullah
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tielsch
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Thulasiraj
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coles
authors.forename: Sheela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Devi
authors.forename: Rajeesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Karthik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Sadanand
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Edwin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kamaraj
mesh_terms: D003153:Community Health Services; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A