Effect of simultaneous supplementation of vitamin A and iron on diarrheal and respiratory tract infection in preschool children in Chengdu City, China

Abstract

Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate whether vitamin A combined with iron supplementation for preschool children resulted in improved changes in children's infectious morbidity.

Method: In this randomized placebo-controlled and blinded field intervention trial, totally 445 preschoolers, ages 3 to 6 y old, were randomly selected. All children were randomly divided into four groups: vitamin A supplement-only group (group I), iron supplement-only group (group II), vitamin A and iron supplement group (group III), and no vitamin A and ferrous sulfate as placebo-control (group IV) for 6 mo. The morbidity of diarrhea and respiratory infections, were collected during supplementation.

Results: There was evidence of the lowest incidence rate of respiratory-related illnesses and fewest symptoms of runny nose, cough, and fever for children in group III compared with children in groups I, II and IV (P < 0.05). Moreover, despite the undistinguished incidence rate of vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain, the rate of diarrhea-related illness was significantly lower for children in group III than for those in the other three groups.

Conclusion: The beneficial affects on infectious morbidity over 6 mo, highlight the potential of vitamin A plus an iron supplement for preschool-aged children.

Keywords: Infectious morbidity; Iron; Preschool children; Supplementation; Vitamin A.