Swami H M, Thakur J S, Bhatia S P S
Department of Community Medicine, Govt. Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India.
Indian J Pediatr. 2007 May;74(5):443-7. doi: 10.1007/s12098-007-0074-2.
To study the impact of mass supplementation of Vitamin A solution on morbidity due to diarrhea, Acute respiratory infection (ARI) and xerophthalmia.
The two rounds of age specific mass distribution of Vitamin A solution were undertaken during January 2000 and December 2000 respectively covering 27,642 (98.7%) and 31,762 (88.0%) children respectively out of total beneficiaries in two round of PPI in Chandigarh. A random sample of 276 children from intervention area and 252 children from control area in the age group of 1-5 yr were followed up on monthly basis for morbidity pattern for a period of nine mth. The morbidity pattern for intervention and control area children was compared to see the impact of mass supplementation of Vitamin A solution.
The average annual episodes of diarrhea in intervention children were lower (3.9 per yr) as compared to control children (5.2 per yr) although difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05) except in initial month. The average annual episodes of ARI in intervention children were lower (5.1 per yr) as compared to Control children (6.0 per yr) although difference was not significant (P>0.05) except in initial first mth. There was significant decline in vitamin A deficiency (VAD) as no case of Bitot's spot was found in intervention children as compared to control children where the prevalence of Bitot's spot ranged from 4.3-5.08% during different visits. The mortality rate was found to be higher in control children with a death rate of 8 per 1000 children during the study period as compared to intervention children where no death was recorded.
It is concluded that mass supplementation of vitamin A led to significant reduction in xerophthalmia and decline in mortality in the intervention area as compared to control area.
研究大规模补充维生素A溶液对腹泻、急性呼吸道感染（ARI）和干眼病发病率的影响。
分别于2000年1月和2000年12月进行了两轮按年龄特定的维生素A溶液大规模分发，在昌迪加尔两轮计划免疫中分别覆盖了27642名（98.7%）和31762名（88.0%）儿童。对干预地区的276名1 - 5岁儿童和对照地区的252名1 - 5岁儿童进行随机抽样，每月跟踪其发病模式，为期9个月。比较干预地区和对照地区儿童的发病模式，以观察大规模补充维生素A溶液的影响。
干预组儿童每年腹泻的平均发作次数（每年3.9次）低于对照组儿童（每年5.2次），尽管除最初月份外差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。干预组儿童每年ARI的平均发作次数（每年5.1次）低于对照组儿童（每年6.0次），尽管除最初第一个月外差异不显著（P>0.05）。维生素A缺乏症（VAD）显著下降，因为干预组儿童未发现毕脱氏斑病例，而对照组儿童在不同访视期间毕脱氏斑的患病率为4.3 - 5.08%。研究期间发现对照组儿童的死亡率较高，每1000名儿童中有8人死亡，而干预组儿童未记录到死亡病例。
得出的结论是，与对照地区相比，大规模补充维生素A导致干预地区干眼病显著减少，死亡率下降。
