Abstract
BACKGROUND: The effect of vitamin A supplementation (VAS) at birth on subsequent vitamin A status has not been studied.
OBJECTIVE: The objective was to study the effect of 50,000 IU vitamin A administered with BCG vaccine at birth on vitamin A status in both sexes.
DESIGN: Within a randomized placebo-controlled trial of VAS, we obtained blood from 614 children at 6 wk of age and from 369 mother-infant pairs at 4 mo of age. We assessed vitamin A status on the basis of serum retinol-binding protein (RBP) and measured serum C-reactive protein to monitor for concurrent infections.
RESULTS: RBP concentrations indicated vitamin A deficiency in 32% of the children at age 6 wk and in 16% at age 4 mo. VAS was not associated with higher RBP concentrations overall or in either sex. However, the effect of VAS varied with maternal education (P for interaction = 0.004): At age 6 wk, VAS was associated with higher (9%; 95% CI: 2, 17%) RBP concentrations in children of noneducated mothers but not in children of educated mothers. Overall, RBP concentrations increased between 6 wk and 4 mo of age. The increase correlated inversely with the number of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccines received in the interval (P = 0.009), particularly in girls (P for interaction = 0.01) and in vitamin A recipients (P = 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: Overall, VAS at birth had no effect on vitamin A status. However VAS may temporarily improve vitamin A status in the subgroup of children of noneducated mothers. In vitamin A recipients, subsequent DTP vaccines affected vitamin A status negatively. The main trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00168597.
Original language | English |
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Journal | The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition |
Volume | 86 |
Issue number | 4 |
Pages (from-to) | 1032–1039 |
ISSN | 0002-9165 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2007 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Aging
- BCG Vaccine
- C-Reactive Protein
- Dietary Supplements
- Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine
- Educational Status
- Female
- Guinea-Bissau
- Humans
- Infant
- Infant, Newborn
- Male
- Mothers
- Nutritional Status
- Postpartum Period
- Retinol-Binding Proteins
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin A Deficiency
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't