Evaluation of vitamin A levels in patients hospitalized in the general pediatrics unit.

AIM: Vitamin A deficiency is an important public health problem worldwide, especially in undeveloped and developing countries. Vitamin A deficiency; It can cause visual disorders, growth retardation, as well as cellular and humoral immunological disorders. We aimed to evaluate vitamin A levels in hospitalized patients and to determine the factors that may be related to vitamin A deficiency.

METHOD: Children between the ages of 2 months and 18 years admitted to Ege University Faculty of Medicine, General Pediatrics Unit in 2017-2020 were included. Three hundred sixty patients with vitamin A levels were evaluated retrospectively.

RESULTS

The mean serum vitamin A level of the study group was 413.6 ± 187.7. Serum vitamin A level was found to be below 316 µg/L (low) in 89 (24.7%), and within normal limits in 271 (75.3%) of the 360 patients. In 62 (69.6%) of the patients with low vitamin A levels, vitamin A was found to be in the marginal range, while in 27 (30.4%) patients, it was below 200 µg/L. Malnutrition was found in 98 (27.2%) of 360 patients included in the study.

CONCLUSION

Vitamin A deficiency may be observed in hospitalized children. Detailed evaluation of each patient, especially in developing countries, will prevent vitamin A deficiencies and malnutrition.