Randomized study of effect of different doses of vitamin A on childhood morbidity & mortality - Claiming benefit when there is none!

Indian Journal of Medical Research

Volumn 123, Issue 5, 2006, Pages 583-586

  Vijayaraghavan, K ^a  

^a NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NUTRITION   (India)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

RETINOL;

BLINDNESS; CHILD; CHILDHOOD DISEASE; CHILDHOOD MORTALITY; CLINICAL TRIAL; CONFOUNDING VARIABLE; COST EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS; DRUG DOSE REGIMEN; EDITORIAL; HEALTH CARE PLANNING; HUMAN; META ANALYSIS; NUTRITIONAL STATUS; OBSERVATIONAL METHOD; PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE; RETINOL DEFICIENCY; RISK REDUCTION; SAMPLE SIZE; STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE; SURVIVAL RATE; SYSTEMATIC REVIEW; TIME; VALIDATION STUDY; VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTATION; XEROPHTHALMIA;

CHILD, PRESCHOOL; DATA INTERPRETATION, STATISTICAL; FEMALE; GUINEA-BISSAU; HUMANS; INFANT; MALE; MORBIDITY; RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS; VITAMIN A; VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY;

EID: 33746151733     PISSN: 09715916     EISSN: 09715916     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Editorial

References (17)

1. WHO/UNICEF/IVACG Task Force. Vitamin A supplements. A guide to their use in the treatment and prevention of vitamin A deficiency and xerophthalmia. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1997.
2. Sommer A, Tarwatjo I, Djunaedi E, West KP Jr, Loeden AA, Tilden R, et al. Impact of vitamin A supplementation on childhood mortality: a randomized controlled community trial. Lancet 1986; 1: 1169-73.
3. Muhilal, Permeisih D, Idjradinata YR, Muherdiyantiningsih, Karyadi D. Vitamin A-fortified monosodium glutamate and health, growth, and survival of children: a controlled field trial. Am J Clin Nutr 1988; 48: 1271-6.
4. Rahmathullah L, Underwood BA, Thulasiraj RD, Milton RC, Ramaswamy K, Rahmathullah R, et al. Reduced mortality among children in southern India receiving a small weekly dose of vitanmin A. N Engl J Med 1990; 323: 929-35.
5. Vijayaraghavan K, Radhaiah G. Prakasam BS, Sarma KVR, Reddy V. Effect of massive dose vitamin A on morbidity and mortality in Indian children. Lancet 1990; 336: 1342-5.
6. Daulaire NMP, Starbuck ES, Houston RM, Church MS, Stukel TA, Pandey MR, et al. Childhood mortality after a high dose of vitamin A in a high risk population. Br Med J 1992; 304: 207-10.
7. Herrera MG, Nestel P. ElAmin A, Fawzi WW, Mohamed KA, Weld L. Vitamin A supplementation and child survival. Lancet 1992; 340: 267-71.
8. Ghana VAST Study Team. Vitamin A supplementation in northern Ghana: effects on clinic attendances, hospital admissions, and child mortality. Lancet 1993; 342: 7-12.
9. West KP Jr, Pokhrel RP, Katz J, LeClercq SC, Khatry SK, Shrestha SR, et al. Efficacy of vitamin A in reducing preschool child mortality in Nepal. Lancet 1991, 338: 67-71.
10. Beaton GH, Martorell R, L'Abbé KA, Edmonston B, McCabe G, Ross AC, et al. Effectiveness of vitamin A supplementation in the control of young child morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Toronto: UN, ACC/ SCN, 1993. (State of the Art Series Nutrition Policy Discussion Paper No. 13).
11. WHO/CHD Immunization-Linked Vitamin A Supplementation Study Group. Randomized trial to assess benefits and safety of vitamin A supplementation linked to immunization in early infancy. Lancet 1998; 352: 1257-63.
12. West Jr KP, Katz J, Khatry SK, LeClerq SC, Pradhan EK, Shrestha SR, et al. Double blind, cluster randomized trial of low dose supplementation with vitamin A or β carotene on mortality related to pregnancy in Nepal. BMJ 1999; 318: 570-5.
13. Benn CS, Martins C, Rodrigues A, Jensen H, Lisse IM, Aaby P. Randomized study of effect of different doses of vitamin A on childhood morbidity and mortality. BMJ 2005; 331: 1428-32.
14. Millard PS. When is a benefit not a benefit, Rapid Responses (Electronic letter to the Editor). Br Med J. November 29, 2005.
15. Antwi CN. Do different doses of vitamin A actually have impact on childhood mortality? Rapid Responses, (Electronic letter to the Editor). Br Med J, December 19, 2005.
16. Reverte M. Vitamin A deficiency and supplementation in children, Rapid Responses (Electronic letter to the Editor). Br Med J, January 4, 2006.
17. N.K. Ganguly Committee, Report on strategy of administration of vitamin A in India. New Delhi: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India; 2001.