Résumé
Background: Vitamin A is an essential nutrient needed for normal vision, immune functions, maintenance of epithelial cell integrity, growth and development, reproductive function. It is the most important cause of preventable childhood blindness in developing countries. To estimate the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in children ?15 yearsAim: reporting to a tertiary care centre A cross sectional study was conducted on 100 children agedMaterials & Methods: upto 15years reporting to eye OPD from April 2022- June 2022. Detailed history from mother was collected. A comprehensive ophthalmic examination including visual acuity measurement, anterior segment, fundus evaluation was done. Vitamin A deficiency was clinically assessed by using WHO classification of Xerophthalmia. TheResults: prevalence of clinical vitamin A deficiency in this study was 9%. Maximum presentation was seen in age group of >2-5 years. Prevention, early recognition by regular screening and nutritional education would decrease theConclusion: risk of developing clinical vitamin A deficiency
Résumé
A community based cross-sectional study was carried out in rural areas of West Bengal with the aim to assess the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) among rural preschool children. Clinical examination was carried out on 9,228 children for the signs and symptoms of VAD and a sub-sample of 590 children were covered for the estimation of blood vitamin A levels using dried blood spot (DBS) method. The prevalence of Bitot’s spots was 0.6% (95% CI=0.44, 0.76), which is more than the public health significance, and it increased with increase in age. The prevalence was significantly higher (P<0.001) among boys (0.8%) as compared to girls (0.4%). The proportion of children with subclinical vitamin A deficiency (blood vitamin A < 20μg/dL) was 61% (95% CI: 52.3-65.1), and it was significantly (P<0.01) higher among the children of lower socioeconomic communities.