Wessels G, Hesseling P B, Stefan D C, Labadarios D
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Children's Hospital, South Africa.
Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2008 Jun;25(4):283-90. doi: 10.1080/08880010802016755.
Chemotherapy for cancer can cause immunocompromise. The authors speculated that children with cancer and low vitamin A plasma levels were more susceptible to cancer treatment-related complications than children who are not vitamin A deficient. A cohort of 49 children with cancer were followed from diagnosis until death or for at least 5 years. Plasma retinol levels were determined at diagnosis. Complications of treatment were recorded. Children with low retinol levels at diagnosis tended to have more chance to develop febrile neutropenia (p = .052). Children with fever had lower mean vitamin A levels at diagnosis than those who did not suffer febrile episodes. In a childhood population with a high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency, routine vitamin A assessment and supplementation in children with cancer appears indicated.
癌症化疗可导致免疫功能低下。作者推测，与非维生素A缺乏的儿童相比，患癌症且血浆维生素A水平低的儿童更容易出现与癌症治疗相关的并发症。对49名癌症患儿进行队列研究，从诊断开始随访直至死亡或至少5年。在诊断时测定血浆视黄醇水平。记录治疗并发症。诊断时视黄醇水平低的儿童发生发热性中性粒细胞减少的机会往往更多（p = 0.052）。发热儿童诊断时的平均维生素A水平低于未发生发热发作的儿童。在维生素A缺乏患病率高的儿童群体中，对癌症患儿进行常规维生素A评估和补充似乎是必要的。
