title: [Retinolemia, vitamin A intake, and blood pressure in the elderly].
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the retinolemia and consumption of vitamin A rich foods and their association with blood pressure levels in the elderly. This is a cross-sectional study, with a systematic sample of 297 elderly subjects enrolled at the Family Health Program of Camaragibe, Pernambuco, between November/December of 2003. Vitamin A status was assessed by retinolemia (HPLC) and by the consumption of vitamin A rich foods (food frequency questionnaire). Blood pressure levels were classified according to the V Brazilian Guidelines on Hypertension. A prevalence of inadequate retinolemia (< 1.05 micromol/L) of 26.3% (CI95% 21.4-31.9) was found. The frequency of preformed vitamin A intake (> 3x/week) was lower (p = 0.000) than the provitamin A intake. The prevalence of systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) was 58.6% (CI95% 52.7-64.3). Isolated systolic hypertension was more prevalent among subjects. There was no correlation between retinolemia and vitamin A rich-food intake (p > 0.05). In addition, there was no association between blood pressure levels and vitamin A rich-food intake (p > 0.05). However, retinolemia in the elderly classified in stage 1 of SAH was higher (p = 0.02) than in the elderly with great/normal blood pressure. The findings suggest a vulnerability of these subjects to hypovitaminosis A and SAH. Nevertheless, the role of vitamin A in the endothelial function modulation and inflammatory responses associated to SAH should be addressed in future studies.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Ciências da Saúde-UFPE, Recife-PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Mellina Neyla de Lima
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
authors.forename: Alcides da Silva
authors.initials: Ada S
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.forename: Ilma Kruze Grande de
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Arruda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A