Clinical benefits of vitamin A supplementation in infants and children with severe pneumonia

Abstract

Background About 190 million preschool children living in
developing countries are at risk of vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin
A deficiency and acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) are public
health problems in developing countries. Children with vitamin
A deficiency are more susceptible to measles, respiratory tract
infection, and other infections. Some studies show that vitamin
A supplements may reduce the severity of respiratory tract
infection and other systemic complications of measles, and
diarrhea.
Objective To evaluate the effect of vitamin A supplementation in
infants and children with severe pneumonia.
Methods The study was a randomized trial on children with severe
pneumonia. Participants were randomly assigned to either receive
vitamin A in addition to standard treatment (Group A), or
standard treatment alone (Group C). Time to achieve the normal
respiratory rate, time to achieve disappearance of subcostal
retractions and fine rales were compared between the 2 groups.
Result There was no significant difference in the achievement of
normal respiratory rate between the vitamin group and the control
group (3.08 days vs 3.29 days). There was also no significant
difference in the disappearance of subcostal retractions among
the two groups (2.30 days vs 2.48 days). However, there was
significant difference in the disappearance of fine rales between
the two groups. The disappearance of fine rales in the vitamin A
group occurred earlier (mean 3.72 days) than in the control group
(mean 4.04 days) (P<0.01).
Conclusions This study indicates that no significant difference in
the achievement of normal respiratory rate and disappearance of
subcostal retractions between the vitamin A group as compared
to the control group, but there was a significant difference in the
disappearance of fine rales between two groups.