EFFECT OF VITAMIN A ON SEVERITY OF ACUTE
DIARRHEA IN CHILDRENBy: Marlisye Marpaung, Suprianto, Atan Baas SinuhajiDepartement of Child Health, University of North Sumatera Medical School, Medan
Presented by: Sisilia Elfani Pebiantia, S.Ked
Background
Vitamin A deficiency may increase the risk or be a cause of diarrhea. Many studies have been conducted on the efficacy of vitamin A in the management of acute
diarrhea, but the outcomes remain inconclusive.
Objective
To determine the effectiveness of vit-A in reducing the severity
of acute diarrhea in children
Methods
Methods• single-blind-randomized controlled trial
Subject
• children age 6 months to 5 years, who had diarrheas at Puskesmas Hina Kiri
Time• August 2009 to Januari 2010
Subject• Group 1• Receive a single dose of vit A 100.000 IU for subject age 6-11month old or with body weight ≤ 10 kg, 200.000 IU for ≥12 month old or with body weight >10 kg.
• Group 2• Receive a single dose of placebo.
Severity
• based on changes in diarrheal frequency, stool consistency, volume and duration of diarrhea after treatment.
Statistical analyses
• independent T-test and Chi square tests
Included• Children aged 6 month to
5 years with acute diarrhea.
Excluded• Children with severe dehydration,
cholera, critically ill conditions (severe malnutrition, encephalitis, meningitis, sepsis, bronchopneumonia, TB)
• Children wo consumed vit A 4 months to avoid hyperavitaminosis conditions,
• Suffered from measles in the 6 weeks prior the study, conditions that may lead to vitamin A deficiency and have a positive response to vitamin A supplementation.
Diarrhea• In Indonesia, diarrhea remains a major cause of death in
infant and children.• In the GIT, VAD is both cause and consequence of
diarrheal disease.• In 20th century, vitamin A was commonly known as the
anti-infective vitamin, when its deficiency was shown to be associated with various infections. However, the mechanism by which vitamin A protects the body against infection is unclear.
HASIL PENELITIAN
• A deficiency adversely affects the epithelial lining, leading to decreased mucous secretion and weakened local barriers to infection. Vitamin A deficiency may also lead to goblet cell depletion, abnormal villous architecture and villous atrophy, as well as adversely affecting humoral and cellular Immune functions
• Studies conducted in many countries have shown a benefit of vitamin A in treating diarrhea
CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin A supplementationis effective in reducing the severity of acute diarrhea in children under five years of age.