Impact of high‐dose vitamin A supplements on vitamin A status of 3‐4 y old Zambian boys

Abstract

A recent evaluation of the national high-dose vitamin A (VA) distribution program in Zambia indicated that the program had no apparent impact on the VA status of preschool age children as assessed by plasma retinol (ROH) concentrations. We assessed the impact of high-dose VA supplements on the VA status of Zambian children by randomly assigning 36 3-4 y old boys to receive either a single dose of VA (60mg) or a placebo (corn oil), and measuring VA status before and 46 d after dosing, using the stable isotope dilution technique and plasma ROH. The mean plasma ROH at baseline was 1.04 ± 0.29 μmol/L in the VA group and 1.00 ± 0.25 μmol/L in the control group (p=0.31). The mean final plasma ROH was 1.07 ± 0.26 μmol/L in the VA group, and 1.00 ± 0.26 μmol/L in the control group (p = 0.27). At baseline, 2 (11.1%) boys in the VA group and 2 (11.7%) boys in the control group had plasma ROH <0.70 μmol/L (p=0.99). Post-supplementation, 2 (11.1%) boys in the VA group and 3 (17.5%) in the control group, had plasma ROH < 0.70 μmol/L (p=0.99). The percent prevalence of fever (2% vs. 2.8%: p=0.52), diarrhea (1.4% vs. 0.8%: p=0.23), rhinorrhea (18% vs. 13%: p=0.52), cough (11.3% vs. 15.1%: p=0.24) and malaria (0% vs. 1.2%: p=0.09) did not differ in the VA and control groups, respectively, during the study period. Estimates of VA pool size before and after supplementation, using the stable isotope dilution technique are not yet available and will be reported later. Sponsored by USAID/MOST