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Eur J Clin Nutr 2022 May 19. Epub 2022 May 19.

St John's Medical College, Bengaluru, India.

PLoS One 2022 18;17(5):e0268507. Epub 2022 May 18.

Birat Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT), READ-It Project, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Background: The World Health Organization has recommended Vitamin A supplementation for children in low- and middle-income countries for many years to reduce child mortality. Nepal still practices routine Vitamin A supplementation. We examined the potential current impact of these programs using national data in Nepal combined with an update of the mortality effect estimate from a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Read More

Gastroenterology Res 2022 Apr 12;15(2):82-90. Epub 2022 Apr 12.

Department of Internal Medicine, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging extraintestinal manifestation (EIM) of Crohn's disease (CD). We aimed to investigate the prevalence and comorbid predictors of NAFLD in patients with CD.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study to determine the prevalence, characteristics, comorbidities, and hospitalization outcomes associated with NAFLD in patients with CD. Read More

Front Nutr 2022 28;9:861619. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States.

Vitamin A, an essential fat-soluble micronutrient, plays a critical role in the body, by regulating vision, immune responses, and normal development, for instance. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major cause of xerophthalmia and increases the risk of death from infectious diseases. It is also emerging that prenatal exposure to VAD is associated with disease risks later in life. Read More

J Med Case Rep 2022 May 12;16(1):188. Epub 2022 May 12.

Department of Pediatrics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Respiratory and gastrointestinal manifestations are the main causes of mortality and morbidity in cystic fibrosis. Although these symptoms are well recognized, ophthalmic involvement of cystic fibrosis secondary to vitamin A deficiency is uncommon and has been reported very rarely in the medical literature.

Case Presentation: Here, we report a 2. Read More

PLoS One 2022 11;17(5):e0267003. Epub 2022 May 11.

Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka, India.

Introduction: Childhood and adolescence require adequate amount of micronutrients for normal growth and development. The primary objective of study was to assess the prevalence of deficiencies of Vitamins (Vitamin A, 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and Folate) and minerals (Calcium, Zinc, Selenium and Iron), among urban school going children aged 6-11 and 12-16 years in ten cities of India. Secondary objective was to find the association between micronutrient deficiencies with sociodemographic and anthropometric indicators. Read More

Int Med Case Rep J 2022 3;15:235-238. Epub 2022 May 3.

Ophthalmology Department, Kabul University of Medical Science, Kabul, Afghanistan.

Background: Keratomalacia refers to an ocular destructive dryness of the cornea that results from severe vitamin A deficiency. It is an ocular condition, usually affecting both eyes. It affects infants, children and women of reproductive age. Read More

Br J Nutr 2022 May 4:1-36. Epub 2022 May 4.

Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia.

Childhood malnutrition is known as a public health concern globally. The present study aims to assess the anthropometry and blood biochemical status of rural primary school children in Malaysia. A total of 776 children (7-11 years old) from 10 rural primary schools from 5 states were included in this study. Read More

Clin Infect Dis 2022 Apr 29. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Background: Although previous studies show that vitamin A deficiency is associated with incident tuberculosis disease, the direction of the association has not been established. We investigated the impact of vitamin A deficiency on tuberculosis disease progression.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal cohort study nested within a randomized clinical trial among HIV+ adults in Haiti. Read More

Front Pediatr 2022 7;10:788409. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Background: Vitamin A plays an important role in the development and maintenance of the normal function of organs and systems. Premature infants have low levels of vitamin A, which may be associated with an increased risk of developing disease. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of vitamin A supplementation on short-term morbidity and mortality in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. Read More

Nutrients 2022 Apr 8;14(8). Epub 2022 Apr 8.

Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.

Vitamin A (VA) deficiency and diarrheal diseases are both serious public health issues worldwide. VA deficiency is associated with impaired intestinal barrier function and increased risk of mucosal infection-related mortality. The bioactive form of VA, retinoic acid, is a well-known regulator of mucosal integrity. Read More

Public Health Nutr 2022 Apr 22:1-37. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

National Research Centre, Human nutrition, Cairo, Egypt.

Objective: Ready to eat fried liver meat balls (LMB) were developed to fight anaemia and vitamin A deficiency and promote cognitive function.

Design: Randomized controlled trial (RCT) consisting of 2 arms; control group with no supplement and LMB group receiving LMB supplement 3 times a week for 90 days. Criteria of evaluations included dietary assessment, anthropometric measurements, laboratory investigations and cognitive function by Wechsler test. Read More

Foods 2022 Apr 6;11(7). Epub 2022 Apr 6.

Food and Nutritional Evaluation Laboratory (FANEL), International Potato Center (CIP), Nairobi 25171-00603, Kenya.

Partial substitution of wheat flour with orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) purée in bread can increase vitamin A intake among consumers. The study investigated the influence of wheat flour substitution with 20-50% of OFSP purée on proximate composition, color, β-carotene, water activity, and microbial keeping quality. The moisture content, crude protein, crude fat, total ash, crude fiber, and carbohydrate in bread ranged from 28. Read More

Nutrients 2022 Mar 28;14(7). Epub 2022 Mar 28.

Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh.

Children living in resource-limited settings often suffer from multiple micronutrient deficiencies (MMD). However, there lacks evidence on the correlates of MMD in young children. We investigated the role of diets, water, sanitation and hygiene practice, enteric infections, and impaired gut health on MMD in children at 24 months of age using data from the multi-country MAL-ED birth cohort study. Read More

Front Nutr 2022 15;9:824193. Epub 2022 Mar 15.

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) occurs in obesity and may be associated with thyroid dysfunction. We aimed to investigate the association of VA with thyroid function in obesity and after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Nine hundred and seventy-six obese subjects were enrolled for this study and were divided into VAD, marginal vitamin A deficiency (MVAD), and vitamin A normal (NVA) groups. Read More

Cureus 2022 Mar 4;14(3):e22846. Epub 2022 Mar 4.

Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, MYS.

Xeropthalmia refers to a range of ocular symptoms caused by vitamin A deficiency (VAD), ranging from night blindness and Bitot's spots to corneal xerosis, ulceration, and keratomalacia, which can lead to blindness. We report two cases of xerophthalmia in children with intellectual disabilities. Ocular examination revealed generalized conjunctival xerosis, corneal xerosis, and dense superficial punctate keratopathy. Read More

F1000Res 2021 28;10:506. Epub 2021 Jun 28.

Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Shambu Campus, Wollega University, Shambu Town, Oromia Region, 38, Ethiopia.

Protein-energy malnutrition and vitamin A deficiency (VAD) are the most important public health issues, and a food-based strategy is crucial to combat those health problems among the vulnerable group of people. Composite biscuits were made with 100:0:0, 90:5:5, 80:10:10, 70:15:15, 60:20:20, and 50:25:25 percent wheat, haricot bean, and orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) flours.Standard methods were used to evaluate the proximate compositions, β-carotene, physical properties, functional properties, and sensory acceptability. Read More

PLoS One 2022 7;17(4):e0266495. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.

Background: Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS) is a cost-effective intervention to decrease mortality associated with measles and diarrheal diseases among children aged 6-59 months in low-income countries. Recently, experts have suggested that other interventions like large-scale food fortification and increasing the coverage of measles vaccination might provide greater impact than VAS. In this study, we conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis of a VAS scale-up in three sub-Saharan African countries. Read More

Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2022 Apr 5. Epub 2022 Apr 5.

Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.

Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient whose deficiency is still a major health concern in many regions of the world. It plays an essential role in human growth and development, immunity, and vision, but may also help prevent several other chronic diseases. The total amount of vitamin A in the human diet often falls below the recommended dietary allowance of approximately 900-1000 g/day for a healthy adult. Read More

Front Cell Dev Biol 2022 14;10:844619. Epub 2022 Mar 14.

Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.

Retinoic acid (RA) is a central signaling molecule regulating multiple developmental decisions during embryogenesis. Excess RA induces head malformations, primarily by expansion of posterior brain structures at the expense of anterior head regions, i.e. Read More

Front Nutr 2022 18;9:754351. Epub 2022 Mar 18.

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism and the Institute of Endocrinology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.

Background: Understanding the national burdens and trends of micronutrient deficiencies can help guide effective intervention strategies. However, there is a lack of evidence of secular trends and age and sex differences in China. This study aims to elucidate trends in common micronutrient deficiencies, in particular, dietary iron, iodine and vitamin A deficiencies in China, from 1990 to 2019 using Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study data. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2022 Mar 29;15(3). Epub 2022 Mar 29.

Vitreoretina Services, Narayana Nethralaya Eye Institute, Bangalore, India.

Two male patients with known systemic disorders who presented with complaints of nyctalopia underwent a complete ophthalmic examination including electrophysiological evaluation and serum vitamin A (retinol) levels. A significant vitamin A deficiency was detected, supplementation started and repeat electroretinogram (ERG) testing was carried out to monitor the timeline of recovery. Restoration of rod and generalised cone function was rapid within the first week of receiving treatment and near normal recovery was seen after 1 month of supplementation. Read More

J Biophotonics 2022 Mar 25:e202100377. Epub 2022 Mar 25.

Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.

The structural effects of vitamin A-deficiency were examined on the molecular profiles of biomolecules of male rat hippocampus during prolonged ethanol intake/withdrawal using FT-IR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics. Liquid ethanol diet with/without vitamin A was maintained to adult rats for 3-months. The rats were decapitated at different ethanol withdrawal times and FT-IR spectra were obtained. Read More

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 2022 04 23;239(4):568-571. Epub 2022 Mar 23.

Ophtalmologie, Hôpital ophtalmique Jules-Gonin, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Indian Pediatr 2022 03;59(3):189-190

Former Research Professor, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA. Correspondence to: N53W17480, Ridgeline Tr, Menomonee Falls, WI-53051, USA.

Cureus 2022 Feb 9;14(2):e22074. Epub 2022 Feb 9.

Ophthalmology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, MYS.

An eight-year-old boy with autism developed gradual onset of vision loss and nyctalopia. Dietary history revealed a diet of only French fries and potato chips for the past four years. As a result, serum vitamin A was severely below the normal level. Read More

Phytother Res 2022 Apr 18;36(4):1600-1615. Epub 2022 Mar 18.

Department of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

Childhood undernutrition contributes to up to 45% of deaths in children under age 5. Moringa oleifera (moringa) leaves are nutrient dense and promote breastmilk production. We performed a systematic review assessing the impact of moringa leaf supplementation in humans and animals on the outcomes of iron, vitamin A status, the measures of growth, and/or breastmilk production. Read More

Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep 2022 Jun 5;26:101471. Epub 2022 Mar 5.

Southeastern Retina Specialists, 7740 Point Meadows Dr., Jacksonville, FL, USA.

Purpose: To present a case of nutritional vitamin A deficiency (VAD) that caused bilateral severe dry eye symptoms and progressive visual field contraction over a 13.5-month span resulting in peripheral blindness and nyctalopia, and to document the patient's rapid visual field restoration following vitamin A therapy (VAT).

Observations: A 34-year-old Haitian woman presented for a glaucoma consultation with the following symptoms in both eyes (OU): painful dry eyes, floaters, nyctalopia, and visual field contraction over eighteen months despite treatment with four anti-glaucoma medications and intraocular pressures (IOP) in the low teens OU. Read More

Glob Food Sec 2022 Mar;32:100596

International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines.

Following its approval in the Philippines in July 2021, provitamin A-rich "Golden Rice" is set to become the worlds' first commercialized genetically modified crop with direct consumer benefits. Despite supplementation and fortification programs, the burden of micronutrient deficiencies remains high. For Golden Rice to be successful in reducing vitamin A deficiency, it needs to be taken up by food systems and integrated into consumer diets. Read More

Clin Exp Optom 2022 Mar 16:1-11. Epub 2022 Mar 16.

Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Knowledge of ocular diseases and understanding of the complex interplay between eye and systemic health have increased over the years. This knowledge is particularly important when caring for our youngest and most vulnerable paediatric patients when ophthalmic manifestations may provide an insight to underlying systemic diseases and can act as the first indicator of an undiagnosed systemic condition. Further, the visual system can be vulnerable to manifestations of known systemic disease, with vigilant ophthalmic examination generally aiding early identification of ocular complications for collaborative multidisciplinary care to prevent avoidable vision loss. Read More