Relationship between deficiencies in vitamin A and E and occurrence of infectious diseases among children.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between vitamin A deficiency (VAD), vitamin E deficiency (VED) and infectious diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS We chose 684 cases of healthy children age 5 months-12 years from our hospital, measured their VA, VE from vein under the light proof condition with high-pressure liquid chromatography. Thereafter, the children who get the acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) or diarrhea two weeks later were registered. RESULTS After the two weeks trial (N=684 cases), the VA level of children with ARI was lower than that of children without ARI (0.23±0.02 mg/ml/0.33±0.01 mg/ml), p<0.05. Moreover, the VE level of children with ARI was significantly lower than that of children without ARI (p<0.05). Most interestingly, the proportion of children with diarrhea accompanied with decreased VA level in serum was higher than that of children without diarrhea, indicating that VA level <0.2 mg/L more easily affected acute respiratory tract infection. CONCLUSIONS We were able to demonstrate that Children who presented vitamin A deficiency were easier to get the acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) and diarrhea. Children who presented vitamin E deficiency were easier to get the acute respiratory tract infection (ARI). Vitamin A and vitamin E deficiencies are one of the important factors related to occurrences of acute infectious diseases in children.