Randomized controlled safety and efficacy trial of 2 vitamin A supplementation schedules in Tanzanian infants.

Study answer

What this study found

The higher-dose vitamin A regimen was safe but did not meaningfully improve vitamin A status or reduce morbidity compared with the lower-dose regimen. At 6 months, there were no significant differences in MRDR deficiency, serum retinol, or breast milk retinol; for example, MRDR 0.06 was 43% versus 47% (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.09; P = 0.32) and serum retinol 0.70 μmol/L was 36% versus 41% (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.09; P = 0.25). At 9 months, results remained null, including MRDR 0.06 at 41% versus 40% (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.24; P = 0.91) and serum retinol 0.70 μmol/L at 29% versus 32%…

Study & population

Randomized controlled trial in newborn infants and their mothers in Ifakara, southern Tanzania, with vitamin A deficiency concerns.

Intervention

The high-dose regimen used oral vitamin A palmitate capsules for mothers and infants at routine vaccination visits: mothers received 200,000 IU at the infant's BCG visit and again at the first DPT/OPV visit, and infants received 50,000 IU at each of the 3 DPT/OPV visits.

Key limitation

The trial found no clear efficacy advantage despite a biologically plausible higher-dose strategy, and the source notes that some vitamin A capsules degraded, which could have affected delivered dose and implementation.

View full study detailsView sourceOpen PDF

Original abstract