EFFECT OF VITAMIN-A SUPPLEMENTATION IN DIARRHEA AND ACUTE RESPIRATORY-TRACT INFECTION IN CHILDREN - A DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIALIN A CALCUTTA SLUM COMMUNITY

To determine the effect of a massive single oral dose of Vitamin A (20 0,000 IU) supplementation on diarrhoea and acute respiratory infection (ARI), a double blind placebo controlled trial involving 174 children under six years of age (excluding infants) was carried out in a Calcu tta slum community. Ninety-one children received vitamin A supplementa tion (experimental group) and 83 children received a placebo (control group). All the children were followed up for six months by active for tnightly surveillance for occurrence of diarrhoea or ARI and their dur ation. There was no statistically significant difference in the incide nce of diarrhoeal episodes or ARI. However, there was a significant di fference (p < 0.05) in the average duration of diarrhoea per episode ( 2.1 vs. 3 days) between the experimental and control groups. Possible beneficial effects of a single oral dose of vitamin A supplementation on the incidence of diarrhoea and ARI could not be demonstrated in the present study.