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Published on: July 5, 2017
Conjunctival impression cytology for detection of early vitamin A deficiency in children
N Pandit1, K Rameshkumar, S Geethanjali
1Department of Paediatrics, St. John's Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore.
Insights
Recurrent infections in children increase vitamin A deficiency risk. Conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) effectively detects subclinical deficiency and monitors treatment success, guiding early intervention.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Recurrent infections in children are associated with an elevated risk of vitamin A deficiency.
- Subclinical vitamin A deficiency poses a significant health concern in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) for detecting subclinical vitamin A deficiency in children with recurrent infections.
- To assess the effectiveness of vitamin A supplementation in normalizing ocular surface status, as monitored by CIC.
Main Methods:
- Conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) was performed on 70 children with recurrent infections and 10 healthy controls (6 months to 5 years).
- Samples were stained with Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) stain and graded as normal, borderline abnormal, or abnormal.
- Children in the latter two categories received vitamin A supplementation, followed by repeat CIC.
Main Results:
- CIC identified subclinical vitamin A deficiency in children with recurrent infections.
- Vitamin A supplementation led to a reversal of abnormal CIC findings to normal in the treated group.
- Repeat cytology confirmed the positive impact of therapy.
Conclusions:
- Conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) is a valuable tool for the early detection of subclinical vitamin A deficiency in high-risk children.
- CIC serves as an effective method for monitoring the therapeutic response to vitamin A supplementation in pediatric patients.
- Implementing CIC screening in children with recurrent infections can aid in timely diagnosis and management of vitamin A deficiency.
Abstract:
Children presenting with recurrent infections have a high risk of developing vitamin A deficiency. Conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) was used in the present study in such children to detect subclinical deficiency and to monitor the outcome after therapy. Seventy children with history of recurrent infections, and 10 healthy children in the age group of six months to five years were included in the study. CIC was performed using millipore filter paper and stained with PAS stain. A three tier grading system was used consisting of normal, borderline abnormal and abnormal for interpretation. Vitamin A supplementation was given in children in the latter two categories. Repeat cytology showed reversal to normal in these children. Hence in children with high risk of developing vitamin A deficiency, it is suggested to do CIC for detection and monitoring it.
