Cj. Bates et al., BIOCHEMICAL INDEXES AND NEUROMUSCULAR FUNCTION-TESTS IN RURAL GAMBIANSCHOOLCHILDREN GIVEN A RIBOFLAVIN, OR MULTIVITAMIN PLUS IRON, SUPPLEMENT, British Journal of Nutrition, 72(4), 1994, pp. 601-610
Ninety preselected children, aged between 8 and 14 years, living in tw
o rural West African (Gambian) villages, mere randomly divided into th
ree groups, matched for age and sex. One group received a placebo (lac
tose) tablet, one received riboflavin (5 mg) on 5 d every week,,which
was sufficient to correct an endemic riboflavin deficiency, and one re
ceived a multivitamin supplement (Protovit; Hoffmann La Roche), on 5 d
every week, together with FeSO4 (200 mg) once weekly, and the supplem
ents were given for 1 year. Neuromuscular tests, including arm tremor
and manipulative skills, were performed on three occasions: once just
before the introduction of the supplements; again 6 weeks after commen
cing the supplements; and again 1 year later. Venous blood samples wer
e collected at the same time as the first two sets of neuromuscular te
sts. These samples were used for haematology and nutrient status indic
es: plasma ferritin, ascorbic acid, cyanocobalamin and pyridoxal phosp
hate, and erythrocyte tests for folate status, for riboflavin status (
erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient) and thiamine
status (erythrocyte transketolase activation coefficient). The ribofl
avin in both supplements achieved a clear-cut response in biochemical
status, which was dose-dependent. The pyridoxine, ascorbic acid and Fe
components of the multivitamin also affected the associated biochemic
al indices. Although overall the arm tremor and related neuromuscular
function tests did not respond significantly to the supplements, signi
ficant improvement was seen in the boys for the arm-tremor test in bot
h the supplemented groups.