Retinol status and associated factors in mother-newborn pairs.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin A deficiency is still considered to be a nutritional problem during pregnancy, lactation and early childhood. The present study aimed to assess the vitamin A status of women and their newborns in the Brazilian Northeast and to determine the association between retinol in the maternal serum, umbilical cord blood and colostrum. METHODS: Vitamin A status in 65 pairs of women and newborns was assessed from samples of the mother's serum, umbilical cord serum and colostrum using high-performance liquid chromatography. The inadequacy of the vitamin A status of mothers and infants was identified if the retinol values were <0.7 µmol L- 1 in maternal serum or umbilical cord blood or <1.05 µmol L-1 in colostrum. RESULTS: The prevalence of inadequate maternal vitamin A status was 21.5% (95% CI: 11.5%-31.5%) and 13.8% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.4%-22.2%] based on maternal serum and colostrum, respectively. Among newborns, 41.5% (95% CI = 29.3%-53.5%) presented a low status of vitamin A based on cord serum. Multiple linear regression analysis identified that maternal serum retinol is a predictor of umbilical cord retinol (P = 0.005). Retinol in maternal serum was lower in mothers who were less educated (P = 0.04) and colostrum retinol was higher in older (P = 0.04) and multiparous (P = 0.002) mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin A deficiency is a common problem among mothers attended in public hospitals in Northeast Brazil and maternal retinol concentrations are associated with retinol status in newborns. Maternal age, parity and educational level were related to the maternal vitamin A status.

Prevalence of anemia in children 6-59 months old in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of anemia in children 6-59 months old in Pernambuco, a state in northeastern Brazil, so as to help guide health and nutrition policies there. METHODS: In 1997 a representative sample of 777 young children had their hemoglobin concentration measured. The sampling process was in three stages. First, 18 municipalities were randomly selected to represent the state and its three geographic areas (metropolitan region of Recife, urban interior, and rural interior). Next, using census lists, 45 census sectors were randomly chosen. Finally, 777 children aged 6-59 months old were selected. Blood was collected by venipuncture, and hemoglobin was measured with a portable hemoglobinometer. In the analysis, prevalence was weighted to reflect the census age distribution. RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia among children 6-59 months old was 40.9% for the state as a whole. Prevalence in the metropolitan region of Recife was 39.6%, and it was 35.9% in the urban interior. The rural interior had the highest prevalence, 51.4%. Prevalence was twice as high in children aged 6-23 months as among those 24-59 months old, 61.8% vs. 31.0% (chi 2 = 77.9, P < 0.001). The mean hemoglobin concentrations in the younger and older age groups were 10.4 g/dL (standard deviation (SD) = 1.5) and 11.4 g/dL (SD = 1.4), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the sexes in terms of prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first statewide assessment of anemia prevalence among young children in Brazil. Given the very high prevalence of anemia among the children studied in Pernambuco, especially those in the age group of 6-23 months, public health interventions are needed.

Studies of diarrhoea in Quindio (Colombia): problems related to water treatment.

This paper studies the association between fluctuations in rates of diarrhoea among children less than 5 years old in Armenia (Quindio) and variations in the application of chlorine in the aqueduct of the city. The study shows that to a great extent diarrhoea morbidity can be explained by the application of chlorine which does not reach useful levels of concentration during the required time. The article concluded by recommending the improvement of existing treatment plants and investing the necessary resources in new plants to insure the quality of water.