Vitamin A reduces morbidity and mortality in measles
Klein, M.; Hussey, G.D.
South African Medical Journal 78(2): 56-58
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0256-9574 PMID: 2371633 Document Number: 348074
Children in Cape Town with measles complicated by pneumonia, diarrhoea or croup who required hospital admission with 5 days of onset of rash were studied. Children were given water-miscible vitamin A (retinyl palmitate: Arovit drops (Roche)) 400 000 IU (120 mg) or placebo. Half the dose was given on admission and the remaining 200 000 IU a day later. Compared with controls, those children given oral vitamin A recovered more rapidly from pneumonia (mean 6.3 vs. 12.4 days; P<0.001) and diarrhoea (mean 5.6 vs. 8.5 days; P<0.001), had less croup (13 vs. 27 cases; P<0.05), and spent less time in hospital (mean 10.6 vs. 14.8 days; P<0.01). Of the 12 children who died, 10 were in the placebo group (P<0.05). The overall risk of a child in the vitamin A group dying or suffering a major complication was half that of the control group (relative risk 0.51).