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[Vitamin A serum level in children with visceral leishmaniasis]
1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brasil. luz@digi.com.br
Insights
Children with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) have significantly lower serum vitamin A levels. This finding highlights vitamin A deficiency as a critical concern in VL patients, impacting public health in developing nations.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Biochemistry
- Infectious Diseases
- Pediatrics
Context:
- Vitamin A deficiency is a global health issue, linked to increased infection severity.
- Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a serious parasitic disease prevalent in developing countries.
- Understanding nutrient status in VL is crucial for patient management.
Purpose:
- To determine serum vitamin A concentrations in children diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis.
- To compare vitamin A levels in VL patients with those of healthy siblings.
Summary:
- Serum vitamin A was measured in 22 children with VL and 9 healthy siblings using high-performance liquid chromatography.
- Median vitamin A concentration was significantly lower in the VL group (21.38 microg/100ml) compared to the control group (31.39 microg/100ml).
- The mean vitamin A level was statistically lower in children with VL (p<0.01).
Impact:
- Identifies low vitamin A as a potential comorbidity in pediatric visceral leishmaniasis.
- Suggests the need for vitamin A monitoring and supplementation in VL patients.
- Contributes to understanding the role of micronutrients in infectious disease outcomes.
Abstract:
Vitamin A is considered an anti-infectious disease vitamin, and its deficiency is associated with severe infections such as in measles. In developing countries the low concentrations of vitamin A are a public health problem. The aim of this study is to describe serum vitamin A concentrations among children with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Blood sample was collected from 22 children with VL, and stored in a freezer, 9 siblings, with no clinical signs of the VL patients had their blood collected for a control group. Samples were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography. The median vitamin A concentration in the LV group was 21.38 microg/100ml and in the control group it was 31.39 microg/100. The mean in the LV was statistically lower than in the control group, using Student's t test, p<0.01.