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Effect of vitamin A supplementation on immune function of well-nourished children suffering from vitamin A deficiency in China

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 62, pages 1412–1418 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To clearly clarify the protective effect of vitamin A supplementation on immune function of well-nourished children suffering from vitamin A deficiency.

Methods:

Three hundred sixty-two children in two kindergartens in Wuhan China were enrolled. Detailed dietary assessment and anthropometry were undertaken to facilitate the exclusion of malnourished children. Seventy vitamin A-deficient children with informed consent were randomly divided into the vitamin A-deficient-supplemented group and vitamin A-deficient placebo group, 35 vitamin A-sufficient children (age- and sex-matched with the vitamin A-deficient-supplemented group children) were selected as vitamin A-sufficient placebo group. The baseline and follow-up level of selected immune parameters of the 105 children in three intervention groups were compared.

Results:

The total proportion of severe and marginal vitamin A-deficient children was 10.9 and 21.96%, respectively. At baseline, the serum complement C3 and sIgA level of vitamin A-sufficient children was significantly higher than that of vitamin A-deficient children (P<0.05). However, the serum lysozyme level of vitamin A-sufficient children was inversely lower. After intervention, vitamin A-deficient-supplemented children increased serum vitamin A, complement C3 and sIgA level, but their serum lysozyme level inversely decreased.

Conclusions:

Vitamin A deficiency was still a serious health problem in children in China cities. Vitamin A supplementation was efficacious in ameliorating serum vitamin A status and partially impaired immune function of well-nourished children suffering from vitamin A deficiency.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 30471460).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, PR China

    J Lin, F Song, P Yao, X Yang, N Li, S Sun, L Lei & L Liu

  2. Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, PR China

    J Lin, F Song, P Yao, X Yang, N Li, S Sun, L Lei & L Liu

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  1. J Lin
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  2. F Song
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Correspondence to L Liu.

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Lin, J., Song, F., Yao, P. et al. Effect of vitamin A supplementation on immune function of well-nourished children suffering from vitamin A deficiency in China. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 1412–1418 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602881

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602881

Keywords

  • vitamin A deficiency
  • immune function
  • vitamin A supplementation
  • well-nourished children

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