INVESTIGATION OF SERUM VITAMIN-A LEVELS OF CHILDREN WHO HAD A HISTORY OF RECURRENT DIARRHEA AND ACUTE RESPIRATORY-INFECTIONS IN ANKARA

Vitamin A deficiency iS considered a widespread public health problem among preschool children In the developing countries. A limited number of studies reveal an association between xerophthalmia and significant systemic diseases including protein-energy malnutrition, diarrhoea, and acute respiratory infections. The present study was carried out to assess the vitamin A status of preschool children who have a history of recurrent acute respiratory infections and diarrhoea. We have already shown that serum vitamin A levels of all the study groups were lower than the control group (P<0.001) and the detailed statistical analyses made clear that malnutrition is the major contributing factor (P<0.0Ol) although Infections also have a negative effect on senim vitamin A levels (P<0.01). We have also shown that subclinical vitamin A deficiency is a problem of public health importance in this region, since about 64 per cent of the children examined were found to have low levels of serum vitamin A (<20 μg/dl). © 1990 Oxford University Press.