VITAMIN-A AND BETA-CAROTENE LEVELS IN CONSTITUTIONAL DELAY OF GROWTH AND PUBERTY

The objective of this study was to investigate the vitamin A (vit A) s tatus and beta carotene levels of children with constitutional delay o f growth and puberty (CDGP). Serum vit A and beta-carotene levels of 2 6 children with CDGP were measured. 20 age-matched healthy children wi th normal pubertal development served as controls. Except for the heig ht SDS, which was significantly lower in the CDGP group (p<0.05), no s ignificant differences were found between chronological ages, weight f or height indices and beta-carotene levels of the two groups (p>0.05). Although serum vit A levels of children in both groups were within no rmal limits according to WHO criteria, serum vit A levels were signifi cantly lower in the CDGP group than in controls (44.13 +/- 12.25 and 5 9.60 +/- 19.75 mu g/dl respectively, p<0.05). It was concluded that vi t A deficiency may play a role in CDGP in developing countries.