Neonatal Vitamin A Supplementation: Sex‐Differential Effects on Mortality?

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Abstract
To the Editor —Humphrey et al. [1] and Malaba et al. [2] recently presented the results of a large vitamin A supplementation (VAS) study in Zimbabwe. In this study, neonates and their mothers were randomized to receive either vitamin A (50,000 IU for infants and 400,000 IU for mothers) or placebo, in a 2-by-2 factorial design. In contrast to the findings of 2 previously published studies of neonatal VAS conducted in Indonesia [3] and India [4], the Zimbabwe study found no beneficial effect of neonatal VAS on mortality among infants of HIV-negative mothers [2], and, among infants of HIV-positive mothers, neonatal VAS was associated with increased mortality in infants who remained negative by polymerase chain reaction at 6 weeks of age [1]. The results of the Zimbabwe study were not reported by sex

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