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Serum carotene concentrations in normal infants and children
Insights
Serum carotene levels in children vary significantly by age, with the highest concentrations observed in infants aged 7-12 months. This study establishes normal serum carotene ranges for pediatric age groups, aiding in fat malabsorption screening.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Clinical Chemistry
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Serum carotene is a vital indicator of fat-soluble vitamin absorption.
- Understanding normal serum carotene concentrations in children is crucial for diagnosing malabsorption disorders.
- Previous data on pediatric serum carotene levels across diverse age groups is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the normal range of serum carotene concentration in healthy Canadian children.
- To analyze age- and sex-specific variations in serum carotene levels.
- To evaluate the utility of serum carotene as a screening test for fat malabsorption in pediatrics.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of serum carotene concentration in blood samples from 444 healthy Canadian children (aged 6 days to 18 years).
- Stratification of data by age groups (infants, toddlers, older children) and sex.
- Statistical comparison of serum carotene levels between different age and sex cohorts.
Main Results:
- Serum carotene concentration was lowest in infants under six months, with breastfed infants showing higher levels than formula-fed infants.
- Peak serum carotene levels were observed in infants aged 7-12 months.
- Levels decreased after one year, showed a slight increase between 2-7 years, and declined again by adolescence. Girls aged 7-12 months had higher concentrations than boys.
- No significant sex-based differences were noted in other age groups.
Conclusions:
- Serum carotene concentration exhibits distinct age-related patterns in children.
- The study provides essential reference ranges for serum carotene in pediatric populations.
- Serum carotene measurement serves as a practical screening tool for identifying potential fat malabsorption in children.
Abstract:
The blood of 444 healthy Canadian children (246 males and 198 females) aged 6 days to 18 years was analyzed to determine the concentration of serum carotene. The serum carotene concentration was very low in the first six months of life. In the first three months of life, breast fed infants had significantly higher serum carotene concentration than infants who were formula fed. Infants 7 to 12 months of age had the highest serum carotene concentration. The serum carotene concentration dropped off after the age of one year and remained low until two years of age. After two years of age, the serum carotene concentration showed a progressive and small rise until the age of six to seven years and then fell until the age of 14 to 18 years. The serum carotene concentration did not appear to vary according to the sex of the child except for infants 7 to 12 months of age. In infants 7 to 12 months of age, girls had a higher serum carotene concentration. The measurement of the serum carotene concentration is a simple screening test for fat malabsorption. Our study provides the normal range of serum carotene concentration for children of various age groups.