The Effect of Oral Vitamin A Supplementation on Chalazion in Young Children with Vitamin A Deficiency: A Pilot Study.

Purpose: Many researchers have reported that vitamin A (VA) deficiency is related to chalazion. The purpose of this article is to clarify the effects of VA supplementation on chalazion in young children with VA deficiency.

Methods

Forty-eight young children with VA deficiency suffering from chalazia were enrolled from our previous studies and were followed continuously for 1 year. Serum VA levels and recurrence of chalazion were observed.

Results

The mean serum VA levels increased after supplementation (P = 2.17E-15). The mean serum VA levels of subjects who experienced recurrence were lower than those without recurrence (P = 0.015). The recurrence rate and the mean recurrent frequency after supplementation were lower than before supplementation (P = 0.01, P = 6E-6); the mean time to the first recurrence of subjects without recurrence was longer after supplementation than before supplementation (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Oral VA supplementation could reduce the recurrence of chalazion in young children with preexisting VA deficiency.