Effects of Vitamin A Supplementation on Iron Status Indices and Iron Deficiency Anaemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world including developed and developing countries. Despite intensive efforts to improve the quality of life of rural and aboriginal communities in Malaysia, anaemia and IDA are still major public health problems in these...

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Main Authors: Hesham M. Al-Mekhlafi, Ebtesam M. Al-Zabedi, Mohamed T. Al-Maktari, Wahib M. Atroosh, Ahmed K. Al-Delaimy, Norhayati Moktar, Atiya A. Sallam, Wan Ariffin Abdullah, Rohana Jani, Johari Surin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2013-12-01
Series:Nutrients
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Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/6/1/190
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spelling doaj-3aaf42fbc61e44c9bf3be7ec4fc47cda2020-11-25T00:46:31ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432013-12-016119020610.3390/nu6010190nu6010190Effects of Vitamin A Supplementation on Iron Status Indices and Iron Deficiency Anaemia: A Randomized Controlled TrialHesham M. Al-Mekhlafi0Ebtesam M. Al-Zabedi1Mohamed T. Al-Maktari2Wahib M. Atroosh3Ahmed K. Al-Delaimy4Norhayati Moktar5Atiya A. Sallam6Wan Ariffin Abdullah7Rohana Jani8Johari Surin9Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Sana'a University, Sana'a 19065, YemenDepartment of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Sana'a University, Sana'a 19065, YemenDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaDepartment of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, MalaysiaFaculty of Medicine, SEGi University College, Kota Damansara, Selangor 47810, MalaysiaDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaDepartment of Applied Statistics, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaIron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world including developed and developing countries. Despite intensive efforts to improve the quality of life of rural and aboriginal communities in Malaysia, anaemia and IDA are still major public health problems in these communities particularly among children. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 250 Orang Asli (aboriginal) schoolchildren in Malaysia to investigate the effects of a single high-dose of vitamin A supplementation (200,000 IU) on iron status indices, anaemia and IDA status. The effect of the supplement was assessed after 3 months of receiving the supplements; after a complete 3-day deworming course of 400 mg/day of albendazole tablets. The prevalence of anaemia was found to be high: 48.5% (95% CI = 42.3, 54.8). Moreover, 34% (95% CI = 28.3, 40.2) of the children had IDA, which accounted for 70.1% of the anaemic cases. The findings showed that the reduction in serum ferritin level and the increments in haemoglobin, serum iron and transferrin saturation were found to be significant among children allocated to the vitamin A group compared to those allocated to the placebo group (p < 0.01). Moreover, a significant reduction in the prevalence of IDA by almost 22% than prevalence at baseline was reported among children in the vitamin A group compared with only 2.3% reduction among children in the placebo group. In conclusion, vitamin A supplementation showed a significant impact on iron status indices and IDA among Orang Asli children. Hence, providing vitamin A supplementation and imparting the knowledge related to nutritious food should be considered in the efforts to improve the nutritional and health status of these children as a part of efforts to improve the quality of life in rural and aboriginal communities.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/6/1/190clinical trialvitamin A supplementationiron deficiency anaemiachildrenMalaysia
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language English
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author Hesham M. Al-Mekhlafi
Ebtesam M. Al-Zabedi
Mohamed T. Al-Maktari
Wahib M. Atroosh
Ahmed K. Al-Delaimy
Norhayati Moktar
Atiya A. Sallam
Wan Ariffin Abdullah
Rohana Jani
Johari Surin
spellingShingle Hesham M. Al-Mekhlafi
Ebtesam M. Al-Zabedi
Mohamed T. Al-Maktari
Wahib M. Atroosh
Ahmed K. Al-Delaimy
Norhayati Moktar
Atiya A. Sallam
Wan Ariffin Abdullah
Rohana Jani
Johari Surin
Effects of Vitamin A Supplementation on Iron Status Indices and Iron Deficiency Anaemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Nutrients
clinical trial
vitamin A supplementation
iron deficiency anaemia
children
Malaysia
author_facet Hesham M. Al-Mekhlafi
Ebtesam M. Al-Zabedi
Mohamed T. Al-Maktari
Wahib M. Atroosh
Ahmed K. Al-Delaimy
Norhayati Moktar
Atiya A. Sallam
Wan Ariffin Abdullah
Rohana Jani
Johari Surin
author_sort Hesham M. Al-Mekhlafi
title Effects of Vitamin A Supplementation on Iron Status Indices and Iron Deficiency Anaemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
title_short Effects of Vitamin A Supplementation on Iron Status Indices and Iron Deficiency Anaemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
title_full Effects of Vitamin A Supplementation on Iron Status Indices and Iron Deficiency Anaemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
title_fullStr Effects of Vitamin A Supplementation on Iron Status Indices and Iron Deficiency Anaemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Vitamin A Supplementation on Iron Status Indices and Iron Deficiency Anaemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
title_sort effects of vitamin a supplementation on iron status indices and iron deficiency anaemia: a randomized controlled trial
publisher MDPI AG
series Nutrients
issn 2072-6643
publishDate 2013-12-01
description Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world including developed and developing countries. Despite intensive efforts to improve the quality of life of rural and aboriginal communities in Malaysia, anaemia and IDA are still major public health problems in these communities particularly among children. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 250 Orang Asli (aboriginal) schoolchildren in Malaysia to investigate the effects of a single high-dose of vitamin A supplementation (200,000 IU) on iron status indices, anaemia and IDA status. The effect of the supplement was assessed after 3 months of receiving the supplements; after a complete 3-day deworming course of 400 mg/day of albendazole tablets. The prevalence of anaemia was found to be high: 48.5% (95% CI = 42.3, 54.8). Moreover, 34% (95% CI = 28.3, 40.2) of the children had IDA, which accounted for 70.1% of the anaemic cases. The findings showed that the reduction in serum ferritin level and the increments in haemoglobin, serum iron and transferrin saturation were found to be significant among children allocated to the vitamin A group compared to those allocated to the placebo group (p < 0.01). Moreover, a significant reduction in the prevalence of IDA by almost 22% than prevalence at baseline was reported among children in the vitamin A group compared with only 2.3% reduction among children in the placebo group. In conclusion, vitamin A supplementation showed a significant impact on iron status indices and IDA among Orang Asli children. Hence, providing vitamin A supplementation and imparting the knowledge related to nutritious food should be considered in the efforts to improve the nutritional and health status of these children as a part of efforts to improve the quality of life in rural and aboriginal communities.
topic clinical trial
vitamin A supplementation
iron deficiency anaemia
children
Malaysia
url http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/6/1/190
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