EFFECT OF VITAMIN A ON

SEVERITY OF ACUTE
DIARRHEA IN CHILDREN
By: Marlisye Marpaung, Suprianto, Atan Baas Sinuhaji
Departement of Child Health, University of North
Sumatera Medical School, Medan
Presented by: Sisilia Elfani Pebiantia, S.Ked

Background
Vitamin A deficiency may increase the risk or be a
cause of diarrhea. Many studies have been
conducted on the efficacy of vitamin A in the
management of acute diarrhea, but the outcomes
remain inconclusive.

To determine the effectiveness of vit-A in
reducing the severity of acute diarrhea in
children
Methods
Methods
single-blind-randomized controlled trial
Subject
children age 6 months to 5 years, who
had diarrheas at Puskesmas Hina Kiri
Time
August 2009 to Januari 2010
Subject
Group 1
Receive a single dose
of vit A 100.000 IU for
subject age 6-11month
old or with body weight
10 kg, 200.000 IU for
12 month old or with
body weight >10 kg.
Group 2
Receive a single dose
of placebo.
Severity
based on changes in diarrheal
frequency, stool consistency,
volume and duration of
diarrhea after treatment.
Statistical
analyses
independent T-test and Chi
square tests
Included
Children aged 6 month to
5 years with acute
diarrhea.
Excluded
Children with severe
dehydration, cholera, critically
ill conditions (severe
malnutrition, encephalitis,
meningitis, sepsis,
bronchopneumonia, TB)
Children wo consumed vit A 4
months to avoid
hyperavitaminosis conditions,
Suffered from measles in the 6
weeks prior the study,
conditions that may lead to
vitamin A deficiency and have a
positive response to vitamin A
supplementation.
Diarrhea
In Indonesia, diarrhea remains a major cause of death in
infant and children.
In the GIT, VAD is both cause and consequence of
diarrheal disease.
In 20th century, vitamin A was commonly known as the
anti-infective vitamin, when its deficiency was shown to be
associated with various infections. However, the
mechanism by which vitamin A protects the body against
infection is unclear.
HASIL PENELITIAN
A deficiency adversely affects the epithelial lining, leading
to decreased mucous secretion and weakened local
barriers to infection. Vitamin A deficiency may also lead to
goblet cell depletion, abnormal villous architecture and
villous atrophy, as well as adversely affecting humoral and
cellular Immune functions

Studies conducted in many countries have shown a
benefit of vitamin A in treating diarrhea
CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin A supplementationis
effective in reducing the
severity of acute diarrhea in
children under five years of
age.