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Query: UMLS:C0017160 (gastroenteritis)
 11,398 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Although most studies on the effect of vitamin A supplementation have reported reductions in childhood mortality, the effects on morbidity are less clear. We have carried out two double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trials of vitamin A supplementation in adjacent populations in northern Ghana to assess the impact on childhood morbidity and mortality. The Survival Study included 21,906 children aged 6-90 months in 185 geographical clusters, who were followed for up to 26 months. The Health Study included 1455 children aged 6-59 months, who were monitored weekly for a year. Children were randomly assigned either 200,000 IU retinol equivalent (100,000 IU under 12 months) or placebo every 4 months; randomisation was by individual in the Health Study and by cluster in the Survival Study. There were no significant differences in the Health Study between the vitamin A and placebo groups in the prevalence of diarrhoea or acute respiratory infections; of the symptoms and conditions specifically asked about, only vomiting and anorexia were significantly less frequent in the supplemented children. Vitamin-A-supplemented children had significantly fewer attendances at clinics (rate ratio 0.88 [95% CI 0.81-0.95], p = 0.001), hospital admissions (0.62 [0.42-0.93], p = 0.02), and deaths (0.81 [0.68-0.98], p = 0.03) than children who received placebo. The extent of the effect on morbidity and mortality did not vary significantly with age or sex. However, the mortality rate due to acute gastroenteritis was lower in vitamin-A-supplemented than in placebo clusters (0.66 [0.47-0.92], p = 0.02); mortality rates for all other causes except acute lower respiratory infections and malaria were also lower in vitamin A clusters, but not significantly so. Improving the vitamin A intake of young children in populations where xerophthalmia exists, even at relatively low prevalence, should be a high priority for health and agricultural services in Africa and elsewhere.
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PMID:Vitamin A supplementation in northern Ghana: effects on clinic attendances, hospital admissions, and child mortality. Ghana VAST Study Team. 810 78

This is an update of knowledge on the role of the vitamin A status in determining child mortality, morbidity and growth. Recent information confirms the earlier conclusion of Beaton et al. that a 23% reduction in young child mortality results following improvements in the vitamin A status. Studies show that the mortality effect is primarily due to reductions in deaths due to acute gastroenteritis and measles but not acute respiratory infections (ARI) and malaria. While improvement of the vitamin A status enhances the survival of older preschool children, it remains unclear whether it benefits infants (i.e. < 6 months). Vitamin A supplementation does not reduce the overall incidence and prevalence of common childhood illness; however, it reduces the incidence of more severe episodes of diarrhea. Also, vitamin A supplementation either during and/or immediately after the illness does not improve its symptomatology. Finally, contrary to earlier expectations, recently completed, placebo-controlled randomized interventions have failed to detect improvements in child growth.
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PMID:The role of vitamin A in reducing child mortality and morbidity and improving growth. 961

Acute gastroenteritis is a common illness worldwide and has a great impact on children. Our aim was to examine possible alterations in the antioxidant defense in pediatric gastroenteritis. To comprehensively examine the reaction of the antioxidant system, all possible components of the system were measured. The whole blood malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione, serum beta-carotene, retinol, vitamin C, vitamin E, catalase, ceruloplasmin, albumin, total bilirubin, uric acid, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase levels were studied. Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase antioxidant enzyme activities and malondialdehyde levels were found to be increased; however, beta-carotene, retinol, vitamin C, vitamin E, reduced glutathione, and albumin levels were observed to be significantly decreased. Catalase activity remained unchanged, whereas some of the other non-enzymatic antioxidants such as ceruloplasmin, total bilirubin, and uric acid levels were increased compared to the control group. We have shown an association between antioxidant levels and gastroenteritis in children. Further study is needed to assess whether antioxidant supplementation will be beneficial as an adjunct to conventional relevant therapy of the disease.
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PMID:Altered antioxidant status and increased lipid peroxidation in children with acute gastroenteritis admitted to a pediatric emergency service. 1816 65