Plasma retinol concentration according to pubertal maturation in school children and adolescents of Medellín, Colombia.
OBJECTIVE
To describe plasma retinol values according to age, gender and pubertal maturation.


METHODS
Comparative, transverse and descriptive.


METHODS
Medellín, Colombia.


METHODS
Plasma retinol values were determined in 588 boys and 531 girls aged between 6 and 18 y. For this, we used spectrophotometry by UV oxidation of retinol, results below 0.87 mmol/l were confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography.


RESULTS
Mean retinol plasma concentrations were slightly higher in girls under 10 y. However, above this age, values are generally higher in boys. Plasma retinol concentrations increased with pubertal maturation in both boys and girls in a statistically significant manner. The highest values were observed in girls with mammary development grades 3 and 4 (P<0.05) and in boys with external genitalia development grades 1 and 2 (P<0.05). Vitamin A deficiency based on plasma retinol concentration (<0.70 mmol/l), was observed in 3.6% of all individuals regardless of gender.


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma retinol concentration is correlated to pubertal maturation in both boys and girls. Vitamin A deficiency in school children and adolescents of Medellín is not a major health problem.
Alvarez Uribe
M C
MC
Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. mcau@pijaos.udea.edu.co
Uscátegui Peñuela
R M
RM
López Bedoya
C
C
Baracaldo Barrera
C M
CM
Castro
L
L
Noy Ballesteros
V
V
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D003105:Colombia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology
D014801:Vitamin A