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Vitamin A status of Thai children with measles
Insights
Measles significantly depletes vitamin A levels in children, increasing risks. Vitamin A supplementation is crucial for measles patients, especially those malnourished, to prevent vision impairment.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional science
- Pediatric health
- Infectious diseases
Background:
- Measles is a common childhood illness.
- Vitamin A deficiency is a global health concern, particularly in children.
- Measles is known to exacerbate vitamin A deficiency and is associated with xerophthalmia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the acute effects of measles on vitamin A status in children.
- To determine the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among children with measles.
- To inform recommendations for vitamin A supplementation in measles patients.
Main Methods:
- Serum concentrations of vitamin A, retinol-binding protein (RBP), and carotene were measured in children with measles.
- Concentrations were compared to those of control children without measles.
Main Results:
- Children with measles exhibited significantly lower serum vitamin A, RBP, and carotene levels compared to controls.
- A substantial proportion (32%) of measles patients presented with serum vitamin A levels below 10 micrograms/dl.
- These findings indicate a significant depletion of vitamin A during acute measles infection.
Conclusions:
- Measles acutely and significantly impacts vitamin A status in children.
- Vitamin A deficiency is common in children suffering from measles.
- Supplementation with vitamin A is recommended for children with measles, with a particular focus on malnourished individuals to prevent complications like xerophthalmia.
Abstract:
The acute impacts of measles on vitamin A status of children were assessed. Children with measles had significantly lower serum vitamin A, retinol-binding protein (RBP), and carotene concentrations than did controls. Thirty-two percent of the measles patients had serum vitamin A concentrations less than 10 micrograms/dl. Since measles and xerophthalmia have frequently been associated, vitamin A supplementation for measles patients is recommended particularly for malnourished children.