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Vitamin A deficiency among under-five Nigerian children with diarrhoea
Olufunmilola O Abolurin1, Adebanjo J Adegbola2, Oyeku A Oyelami1
1Department of Paediatrics, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Insights
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is common in African children with diarrhea, increasing their risk. Wasting and hospitalization indicate VAD, warranting vitamin A supplementation during diarrhea treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and diarrhea are significant causes of child mortality in Africa.
- Children with VAD face increased risk and severity of diarrheal diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of VAD among children presenting with diarrhea.
- To identify factors associated with VAD in this pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted.
- Serum retinol levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
- 170 under-five children with diarrhea were recruited in Ilesa, Nigeria.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of VAD was 15.9% (3.0% severe VAD).
- Wasting was significantly associated with VAD (OR=3.08, p=0.023).
- Children with VAD had higher hospitalization rates (OR=4.40, p=0.001) and the only mortality occurred in a VAD child.
Conclusions:
- Wasting and hospitalization are indicators of VAD in children with diarrhea.
- Vitamin A supplementation should be considered for children with diarrhea, especially those who are wasted or hospitalized.
Background:
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and diarrhoea are still important contributors to childhood deaths in Africa, and vitamin A deficient children are at increased risk as well as severity of diarrhoea.
Objectives:
To determine the prevalence of VAD and identify the associated factors among children with diarrhoea.
Methods:
The study was a hospital-based cross-sectional descriptive study. Consecutive children with diarrhoea were recruited, provided they met the inclusion criteria. Serum retinol levels were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in one hundred and seventy under-five children who presented with diarrhoea at the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Nigeria.
Results:
The serum retinol levels of the children ranged from 0.29 - 2.35 µmol/L with a mean ± SD of 1.07 ± 0.42 µmol/L. Twenty seven (15.9%) were vitamin A deficient with three (1.8%) of these having severe VAD. Wasting was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of VAD [p = 0.023, OR (95% CI) = 3.08 (1.21 - 7.79)]. A significantly greater proportion of the subjects who had VAD were hospitalized, compared with the non-deficient ones [p = 0.001, OR (95% CI) = 4.40 (1.82 - 10.66)]. The only subject who died was vitamin A deficient.
Conclusion:
Wasting and hospitalization are factors that may indicate the presence of VAD in a child with diarrhoea. Vitamin A supplements should therefore be given, as part of the treatment for diarrhoea, to children who have wasting, especially when they require hospitalization.
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