THE IMPACT OF VITAMIN-A SUPPLEMENTATION GIVEN DURING A PNEUMONIA EPISODE ON THE SUBSEQUENT MORBIDITY OF CHILDREN

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of large dose vitamin A supplementati on given to infants > 6 months old (200 000 IU) and to preschool child ren aged 1-4 years (400 000 IU) during a pneumonia episode, on their s ubsequent morbidity and severe morbidity. METHOD In a randomized, doub le-blind, placebo controlled trial, the children were followed-up with 2-weekly visits at home for 16 weeks, with the first visit 2 weeks af ter treatment for pneumonia was initiated. The field workers asked abo ut the presence of morbidity on the day of the visit and in the previo us two weeks and about the occurrence and number of clinic attendances and hospital admissions since the last visit. They also measured the patients' respiratory rate and temperature and assessed the children f or the presence of cyanosis, chest indrawing and wheezing. RESULTS Exc ept for the prevalence of diet refusal which was higher in the vitamin A group, no differences between the study groups were observed, eithe r in the prevalence of morbidity or in the incidence of clinic attenda nces and hospital admissions. CONCLUSION No evidence was found for a b eneficial effect of vitamin A given during acute pneumonia on the subs equent morbidity and severe morbidity of children in a population with marginal vitamin A deficiency.