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Evidence summaries

Vitamin A for Preventing Acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Children Up to Seven Years of Age

Vitamin A appears not to decrease, and seems rather to increase lower respiratory tract infections in children. Level of evidence: "B"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 10 studies with a total of 33 979 subjects. Most studies found no significant effect of vitamin A on the incidence of acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), or prevalence of symptoms of acute LRTI. Vitamin A caused an increased incidence of acute LRTI in one study; an increase in cough and fever; and increased symptoms of cough and rapid breathing in two others. Three reported no differences and no protective effect of vitamin A. Two studies reported that vitamin A significantly reduced the incidence of acute LRTI with children with poor nutritional status or weight, but increased it in normal children.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by inconsistency (variability in results across studies and heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes).

References

  • Chen H, Zhuo Q, Yuan W, Wang J, Wu T. Vitamin A for preventing acute lower respiratory tract infections in children up to seven years of age. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008 Jan 23;(1):CD006090 [Review content assessed as up-to-date: 29 June 2010]. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords