Vitamin A status of children with a history of respiratory syncytial virus infection in infancy

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In order to extend our earlier observation that children who experience frequent respiratory episodes may benefit from Vitamin A supplementation, 206 children aged 2-7 years who had been hospitalized for broncholitis during infancy were randomized into a controlled trial of Vitamin A supplementation. Of these, 149 met the the criteria of protocol compliance after 12 months of follow-up. Mean plasma retinol at basline was 39.2 .mu.g/100 ml (s.e.m. = 1.0) and did not increase after 12 months (mean 36.0 .mu.g/100 ml, s.e.m. = 0.7) despite the older age of the cohort. The range observed (11.7-73.9 .mu.g/100 ml) included some children at risk of marginal Vitamin A deficiency. Mean plasma retinol levels were 20% lower than those of children experiencing frequent respiratory episodes recored earlier. Oral supplementation did not change plasma retinol levels, nor did it affect respiratory morbidity.