Retinyl palmitate supplementation by inhalation of an aerosol improves vitamin A status of preschool children in Gondar (Ethiopia)

Hans Biesalski*, Ram Reifen, Peter Fürst, Melkie Edris

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report successful vitamin A supplementation by inhalation of retinyl palmitate in a placebo-controlled pilot study in twenty-five preschool children (2-5 years of age) in the rural district of Gondar, Ethiopia. Preschool children (n 161) were randomly selected from 220 households. Out of this cohort, twenty-five children were randomly assigned to each of two treatment groups: one receiving retinyl palmitate by inhalation of two puffs of an aerasol containing 1 mg (3000 IU per delivery to give a total of 2 mg (6000 IU); and the other receiving an aerosol without retinyl palmitate. Both treatments were administered every 2 weeks for 3 months. Serum retinol and retinol-binding protein concentrations in the vitamin A-treated group were 0.68 (SD 0.31 μmol/l and 59.4 (SD 24.2) mg/l before and 1.43 (SD 0.46) μmol/l (P < 0.01) and 97.3 (SD 31.2) mg/l (P < 0.05) 3 months after supplementation with retinyl palmitate, suggesting that this novel method of delivery of retinyl palmitate by inhalation is effective in improving vitamin A status.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)179-182
Number of pages4
JournalBritish Journal of Nutrition
Volume82
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1999

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors thank Lucie Malaba for critically reading the manuscript and the Research Center for Nutrition in Prevention and Therapy for financial support.

Keywords

  • Retinyl palmitate
  • Vitamin A
  • Xerophthalmia

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