Infectious Diseases
Serum vitamin A and beta-carotene levels in children with recurrent
acute respiratory infections and diarrhoea in Malatya.
Kucukbay H; Yakinci C; Kucukbay FZ; Turgut M
Journal of Tropical Pediatry 1997 Dec;43(6):337-40 Deficiency
of serum vitamin A is one of the widespread public health problem among
pre-school children in developing countries. A limited number of studies
have been done about this problem in Turkey and there is no similar work
done in Malatya. Serum vitamin A and beta-carotene levels in 56 pre-school
age children who had recurrent acute respiratory infections (ARI) or recurrent
diarrhoea were determined by a UV/VIS spectrometer. The results obtained
were compared with 35 healthy pre-school age children. Serum vitamin
A (51.66 +/- 8.10 micrograms/dL) and beta-carotene (82.88 +/- 18.5 micrograms/dL)
levels in children with ARI's were found significantly lower than the
control group (58.14 +/- 9.07 micrograms/dL and 131.43 +/- 22.38 micrograms/dL,
respectively) (P < 0.001). Serum vitamin A (47.21 +/- 8.27 micrograms/dL)
and beta-carotene (81.63 +/- 15.41 micrograms/dL) levels in children with
recurrent diarrhoea were also found significantly lower than the control
group (58.14 +/- 9.07 micrograms/dL and 131.43 +/- 22.38 micrograms/dL,
respectively) (P < 0.001). |
