Effect of vitamin A supplementation on immune function of well-nourished children suffering from vitamin A deficiency in China.
OBJECTIVE
To clearly clarify the protective effect of vitamin A supplementation on immune function of well-nourished children suffering from vitamin A deficiency.


METHODS
Three hundred sixty-two children in two kindergartens in Wuhan China were enrolled. Detailed dietary assessment and anthropometry were undertaken to facilitate the exclusion of malnourished children. Seventy vitamin A-deficient children with informed consent were randomly divided into the vitamin A-deficient-supplemented group and vitamin A-deficient placebo group, 35 vitamin A-sufficient children (age- and sex-matched with the vitamin A-deficient-supplemented group children) were selected as vitamin A-sufficient placebo group. The baseline and follow-up level of selected immune parameters of the 105 children in three intervention groups were compared.


RESULTS
The total proportion of severe and marginal vitamin A-deficient children was 10.9 and 21.96%, respectively. At baseline, the serum complement C3 and sIgA level of vitamin A-sufficient children was significantly higher than that of vitamin A-deficient children (P < 0.05). However, the serum lysozyme level of vitamin A-sufficient children was inversely lower. After intervention, vitamin A-deficient-supplemented children increased serum vitamin A, complement C3 and sIgA level, but their serum lysozyme level inversely decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin A deficiency was still a serious health problem in children in China cities. Vitamin A supplementation was efficacious in ameliorating serum vitamin A status and partially impaired immune function of well-nourished children suffering from vitamin A deficiency.
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, PR China.
J
J
Lin
F
F
Song
P
P
Yao
X
X
Yang
N
N
Li
S
S
Sun
L
L
Lei
L
L
Liu
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009113:Muramidase / Q000097:blood*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*
D003176:Complement C3; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D014801:Vitamin A; D009113:Muramidase