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Auricular Acupressure as an Adjuvant Treatment for Wheezing in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
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Vitamin A deficiency and wheezing

Zheng-Xiu Luo1, En-Mei Liu, Jian Luo

  • 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Children's Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. luozhengxiu816@163.com

World Journal of Pediatrics : WJP
|February 10, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Infant wheezing is linked to vitamin A deficiency. Lower vitamin A levels correlate with more persistent and severe wheezing episodes in infants, suggesting a significant relationship.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Clinical Research

Background:

  • Vitamin A deficiency can heighten respiratory tract sensitivity, increasing infection risk and leading to wheezing.
  • Infant wheezing is a common respiratory issue with potential links to nutritional status.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between vitamin A deficiency and the occurrence of wheezing in infants.
  • To explore the relationship between serum vitamin A levels and the severity and course of infant wheezing.

Main Methods:

  • Collected venous blood samples from 331 hospitalized infants diagnosed with wheezing.
  • Measured serum vitamin A concentration to assess deficiency levels.
  • Analyzed the correlation between vitamin A status and wheezing characteristics.

Main Results:

  • A higher prevalence of moderate and severe vitamin A deficiency was observed in infants with persistent wheezing compared to acute wheezing (P<0.01).
  • Severe vitamin A deficiency was significantly more common in infants with severe wheezing than in those with mild or moderate wheezing (P<0.01).
  • The degree of vitamin A deficiency correlated with both the duration and intensity of wheezing episodes.

Conclusions:

  • Serum vitamin A deficiency is prevalent in infants experiencing wheezing.
  • The severity of vitamin A deficiency appears to be associated with the course and severity of wheezing in infants.
Abstract

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