Oral vitamin A in the treatment of xerophthalmia in diarrheic and non-diarrheic children

Fifty (50) patients, 27 non-diarrheic and 23 diarrheic, all with positive staining with Lissamine green were given 200,000 IU of oral oil-miscible vitamin A on two consecutive days. Serum vitamin A levels were determined before and one week after treatment. Lissamine reaction was also assessed post-therapy. The findings were as follows1. Serum vitamin A rose significantly in both the diarrheic and non-diarrheic groups with no significant difference in the degree of rise between these two groups2. Clinical response to treatment was not significantly different between the diarrheic and non-diarrheic groups. (Summary)