Impact of supplementing newborn infants with vitamin A on early infant mortality: community based randomised trial in southern India.
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.
Rahmathullah
Lakshmi
L
Aravind Centre for Women, Children and Community Health, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Tielsch
James M
JM
Thulasiraj
R D
RD
Katz
Joanne
J
Coles
Christian
C
Devi
Sheela
S
John
Rajeesh
R
Prakash
Karthik
K
Sadanand
A V
AV
Edwin
N
N
Kamaraj
C
C
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
D014801:Vitamin A