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Serum concentrations of vitamin A and oxidative stress in critically ill patients with sepsis
C Ribeiro Nogueira1, A Ramalho, E Lameu
1Vitamin A Research Group (Grupo de Pesquisa em Vitamina A-GPVA), Instituto de Nutrição Josué de Castro (INJC), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. carlafrancanut@yahoo.com.br
Introduction:
Sepsis is one of the main causes of mortality in patients in Intensive Care Units. As a result of the systemic inflammatory response and of the decrease of the aerobic metabolism in sepsis, the oxidative stress occurs. Vitamin A is recognized by the favorable effect that it exerts on the immune response to infections and antioxidant action.
Objective:
To bring new elements for reviewing of the nutritional support addressed to critically ill patients with sepsis, with emphasis to vitamin A.
Methods:
Critically ill patients with sepsis had circulating concentrations of retinol, beta-carotene, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and C-reactive protein (CRP) measured in Medicosurgical Intensive Care Unit in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The patients were divided into two groups: patients who were receiving nutritional support and those without support. At the act of the patient's admission, APACHE II score was calculated.
Results:
46 patients were studied (with diet n = 24 and without diet n = 22). Reduced levels of retinol and beta-carotene were found in 65.2% and 73.9% of the patients, respectively. Among the patients who presented lower concentrations of CRP it was found higher beta-carotene inadequacy (64.8%) and 50% of retinol inadequacy. There was no significant difference as regards retinol, TBARS and APACHE II levels among the patients with and without nutritional support. However, higher levels of CRP (p = 0.001) and lower levels of serum beta-carotene (p = 0.047) were found in patients without nutritional support.
Conclusions:
Septic patients presented an important inadequacy of retinol and beta-carotene. The present study bring elements to the elaboration/review of the nutritional protocol directed to the group studied, especially as regards vitamin A intake.
