Serum retinol concentrations demonstrate high specificity after correcting for inflammation but questionable sensitivity compared with liver stores calculated from isotope dilution in determining vitamin A deficiency in Thai and Zambian children.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The WHO estimates that 190 million preschool children have vitamin A deficiency (VAD). Serum retinol (SR) concentration is a common indicator of vitamin A (VA) status, but SR is homeostatically controlled and suppressed during inflammation, which may lead to misdiagnosis.

Objective

The sensitivity and specificity of SR compared with VA total liver reserves (TLRs) were evaluated for VAD in children from Thailand (n = 37) and Zambia (n = 128). SR was adjusted for inflammation in the Zambian children.

Design

Each child was classified as VA-deficient or not based on cutoffs of <0.1 μmol VA/g liver with the use of retinol isotope dilution and <0.7 μmol/L for SR concentrations. Four categories of infection status in the Zambian children were based on elevated C-r

SUBMITTER: Suri DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6546224 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature