[Assessment of the structure and quality of nutrition as a factor that influences thyroid functional activity].

The purpose of the study was to determine the provision of schoolchildren with vitamin A, beta-carotene, and zinc, by taking into account their mutual effect on thyroid functional activity. The study was retrospective and performed by the Adygei Branch of the Kuban State Medical University, Federal Health Care and Social Development Agency (Maikop). The nutrition pattern was studied in 103 pupils living in the Republic of Adygea. The amount of food used with- in 3 days (with one day-off being compulsorily included) was estimated to determine the actual dietary levels of micronutrients in the schoolchildren. Their provision with vitamin A and beta-carotene was determined by the dark adaptation test (Kravkov-Purkinje test). The data were processed by parametric statistical methods, by using the computer program "Statistica 5.0". Questionnaire analysis has indicated that the diet is unbalanced in the majority of the examined schoolchildren. The study revealed the insufficient dietary intake of iodine, zinc, vitamin A, and beta-carotene. About half the parents of the schoolchildren participating in the study indicated the use of iodinated salt for cooking. Insufficient vitamin A provision was revealed in 77.8% of the pupils. For prevention of deficiencies of vitamin A and traces, 37% of the schoolchildren were found to take multivitamin preparations. Vitamin A deficiency is one of the factors contributing to the development of iodine deficiencies. Along with this, by affecting vitamin A metabolism, inadequate dietary intake of zinc adversely affects thyroid functional activity. Monitoring of adequate dietary intake of vitamin A and zinc should be one of the stages in preventing iodine deficiencies and reducing the number of risk groups in an area with low environmental iodine levels.

Relación entre los niveles de ácido todo trans-retinoico en sangre de cordón umbilical y medidas antropométricas del recién nacido / Retinoic acid levels in the serum of blood from umbilical cord and their relation to anthropometric measures in newborn

Antecedentes: La vitamina A, principalmente en su forma de ácido todo trans-retinoico, desempeña una función de vital importancia durante el desarrollo gestacional en todos los tejidos y órganos del cuerpo. Objetivo: Determinar los niveles de ácido retinoico en el suero de sangre de cordón umbilical y relacionarlos con el peso/edad gestacional del recién nacido y el consumo materno de vitamina A, conjuntamente con variables socio-económicas y nutricionales. Método: Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal, analizando un total de 62 neonatos y sus madres, provenientes de las maternidades de los Hospitales San José y Barros Luco-Trudeau, Santiago de Chile. Resultados: En la población en estudio se observó una relación directa entre el peso/edad gestacional del neonato y el consumo materno de vitamina A, pero no con los niveles de esa vitamina en el suero de sangre de cordón umbilical. Se encontró que el consumo medio de vitamina A en las embarazadas fue sólo de 2298 +/- 1416,8 Ul, siendo la dosis recomendada por OMS de 8000 Ul. Conclusión: Existe asociación entre la ingesta de vitamina A y el estado nutricional materno en relación con el peso/edad gestacional del neonato. Debido a que los requerimientos nutricionales del feto están privilegiados por sobre los maternos, no se observaron diferencias en las características antropométricas del neonato asociadas a la ingesta materna de vitamina A.

Background: Vitamin A, mainly in their form of retinoic acid, it carries out a function of vital importance during the gestational development, in all the tissues and organs of the body. Objective: To evaluate the levels of retinoic acid in the serum of blood from umbilical cord and to relate them with the weight/gestational age ratio of the newborns and the maternal intake of vitamin A, jointly with socioeconomic and nutritional variables. Method: A descriptive study of traverse court, in the maternities of the Hospitals San José and Barros Luco-Trudeau of Santiago, Chile, studying a total of 62 cases. Results: In the population in study a direct relationship was observed between the newborn ratio weight/gestational age and the maternal consumption of vitamin A, but no relationship was found among the same weight/gestational age ratio and the levels of this vitamin in the serum of blood of umbilical cord. On the other hand, it was found that the average consumption of vitamin A in the maternities it was of 2298 +/- 1416.8 IU, being the dose recommended by WHO for pregnant of 8000 IU, therefore, the whole population in study had a faulty consumption of vitamin A. Conclusion: Exists association among the intake of vitamin A and the maternal nutritional state with the weight/gestational age ratio of the newborn and the concentration of trans-retinoic acid in the umbilical cord. Because the nutritional requirements of the fetus are privileged over the maternal ones, differences were not observed in the newborn anthropometries features associated to the maternal vitamin A intake.

Socio-economic determinants of selected dietary indicators in British pre-school children.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the proportion of pre-school children meeting reference nutrient intakes (RNIs) and recommendations for daily intakes of iron, zinc, vitamins C and A, and energy from non-milk extrinsic sugars. To assess whether meeting these five dietary requirements was related to a series of socio-economic variables. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data on daily consumption of foods and drinks from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) of children aged 1.5-4.5 years based on 4-day weighed intakes. SUBJECTS: One thousand six hundred and seventy-five British pre-school children aged 1.5-4.5 years in 1993. RESULTS: Only 1% of children met all five RNIs/recommendations examined; 76% met only two or fewer. Very few children met the recommendations for intakes of zinc (aged over four years) and non-milk extrinsic sugars (all ages). The number of RNIs/recommendations met was related to measures of socio-economic class. Children from families in Scotland and the North of England, who had a manual head of household and whose mothers had fewest qualifications, met the least number of RNIs/recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Very few pre-school children have diets that meet all the RNIs and recommendations for iron, zinc, vitamins C and A, and energy from non-milk extrinsic sugars. Dietary adequacy with respect to these five parameters is related to socio-economic factors. The findings emphasise the need for a range of public health policies that focus upon the social and economic determinants of food choice within families.

Estudio clínico controlado sobre diarrea aguda y niveles séricos de vitamina A / Clinical study controlate on acute diarrhea and silken levels of vitamin A

Con el fin de establecer la relación entre diarrea aguda y el estado nutricional de la vitamina A, se realizó un estudio prospectivo desde el mes de junio de 1995 hasta marzo de 1996, en 72 niños con edades comprendidas entre 1 mes y 11 años de edad. Fueron asignados al azar en 2 grupos A y B, a todos se les realizó a su ingreso y a los 7 días los niveles de retinol sérico. Al grupo A se le administró vitamina A más tratamiento convencional y se tomo como grupo control. Finalizaron el estudio 42 pacientes, 23 del grupo A y 19 del grupo B con un porcentaje de falla del 58,3 por ciento; 81,9 por ciento fueron lactantes, 90,3 por ciento pertenecieron a los estratos IV y V y 14 por ciento tenían estado nutricional bajo la norma. Los valores de retinol sérico al ingreso fueron de <30 µg/dl. El nivel del retinol sérico de la población estudiada fue de 32,14 µg/dl + DS 16,32 con un valor mínimo de 6,76 µg/dl y un valor máximo de 79,47 µg/dl. Al final del cuadro diarreico el status de la vitamina A se encontró mejorado en ambos grupos y sólo fue significativo en los pacientes del grupo A que estaban dentro de la norma según la antropometría con p<0.05. Se concluye que la diarrea aguda cursa con un status de la vitamina A comprometido y a su vez, éste es el resultado de una serie de factores como son: estado socieconómico, estado nutricional, antecedentes alimentarios, antecedentes patológicos e infeccciones previas. La suplementación de vitamina A por si sola no demostró ser efectiva para modificar la evolución de la enfermedad

The role of the human placenta in embryonic nutrition. Impact of environmental and social factors.

The human placenta has been implicated in the poor growth and development of the embryo/fetus due to alterations in blood flow and reductions in the transfer of nutrients such as amino acids and carbohydrates. Deficiencies of such nutrients have been the principal of many research investigations. The role of micronutrients, however, may also be major factors in appropriate growth and development, and there may be a general reduction in the availability of such nutrients, for example, the role of folate supplementation during early pregnancy and the reduction in the incidence of neural tube defects. Vitamins are not all transported via a common mechanism. Therefore, the modulation of human placental transport can be different for different vitamins, for example, A and B12. It is apparent that the human placenta can oxidatively metabolize retinoids (isotretinoin and tretinoin) to more toxic or less toxic metabolites. These metabolites can then be transferred to the fetal circulation. Such metabolism/transfer is in contrast to how vitamin B12 is bound to transcobalamin proteins, which are produced by the placenta and directionally released into the maternal and fetal circulations.

Assessment of vitamin A status in an elderly French population using impression cytology with transfer.

The vitamin A status of 105 elderly French people was assessed by ocular impression cytology with transfer (ICT). 5 patients (4.8%) had a negative ICT defined by the absence of goblet cells and the enlargement of the epithelial cells (deficient vitamin A status). 100 patients had a positive ICT with goblet cells and small, numerous epithelial cells (sufficient vitamin A status). ICT results were compared to serum biochemical parameters. Mean serum levels of retinol, retinol-binding protein (RBP) and transthyretin (TTR) were significantly lower while C-reactive protein (CRP) and orosomucoid were significantly higher in negative ICT than in positive one. The etiology of vitamin A deficiency is difficult to conclude (malnutrition, vitamin A deficiency, inflammation). ICT is a good indicator of peripheral vitamin A deficiency in our experience.