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Short- and long-term vitamin A treatment in children with cholestasis
O Amédée-Manesme1, M S Mourey, J Therasse
1Département de Pédiatrie, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Le Kremlin, France.
Insights
Vitamin A deficiency is common in infants with chronic cholestasis. Intramuscular injections of vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) effectively correct this deficiency and are well-tolerated in children with extrahepatic biliary atresia.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Hepatology
Background:
- Infants, especially newborns, have limited vitamin A reserves.
- Chronic cholestasis impairs the ability of infants to build vitamin A stores, despite dietary intake.
- Extrahepatic biliary atresia is a condition that can lead to vitamin A deficiency in pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate liver vitamin A concentrations in children with extrahepatic biliary atresia.
- To evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) injections in infants with chronic cholestasis.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of liver vitamin A concentrations in 30 children with extrahepatic biliary atresia.
- Intramuscular administration of a water-miscible solution of retinyl palmitate (100,000 IU or 30 mg retinol equivalent).
- Monitoring of liver and blood vitamin A concentrations over a 1-year period in nine children with chronic cholestasis.
Main Results:
- Correction of vitamin A deficiency was observed following intramuscular retinyl palmitate administration.
- The treatment demonstrated efficiency in improving vitamin A levels.
- The vitamin A injections were well-tolerated by the pediatric patients.
Conclusions:
- Intramuscular administration of vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) is an effective treatment for vitamin A deficiency in children with extrahepatic biliary atresia.
- This therapeutic approach is safe and well-tolerated in infants suffering from chronic cholestasis.
- Addressing vitamin A deficiency is crucial for improving the nutritional status of infants with chronic cholestasis.
Abstract:
Newborns have limited reserve supplies of vitamin A. Infants with chronic cholestasis are in a precarious nutritional state because of their limited ability to build these stores even though the vitamin is present in their diet. In this study, we investigated liver concentrations of vitamin A in 30 children with extrahepatic biliary atresia. We demonstrate that correction of the deficiency occurs after intramuscular administration of a water-miscible solution of retinyl palmitate (100,000 IU, or 30 mg retinol equivalent). Furthermore, we evaluated the effect of vitamin A injections on liver and blood concentrations in nine children with chronic cholestasis over a 1-y period. We conclude this treatment is efficient and is well tolerated.