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INTRODUCTION: Vitamin A deficiency can cause eye disease and has been related to food selectivity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: A series of 13 pediatric patients with severe ophthalmological involvement as an initial manifestation of hypovitaminosis A is described. RESULTS: With significant Vitamin A deficiency, neuroimaging was performed in 11 patients. Of these, 8 had pathological findings with the presence of cranial hyperostosis. Lumbar puncture was performed in these patients and endocranial hypertension was detected in 7 of the 8 patients. All had food selectivity and 61.5% had ASD. CONCLUSIONS: Toxic-nutritional optic neuropathy is a rare pathology in children and presents with progressive, bilateral and painless visual loss due to damage to the optic nerve, which can generate severe and irreversible damage to it. Food history allows early detection of nutrient deficiencies in children with restrictive feeding, especially in neuro-atypical patients. This is essential to implement preventive measures and treatment with vitamin A in order to avoid irreversible consequences.

Introducción: La deficiencia de vitamina A puede producir enfermedad ocular y se ha relacionado con la selectividad alimentaria en niños con trastorno del espectro autista (TEA). Métodos: Se describen una serie de 13 pacientes pediátricos con compromiso oftalmológico grave como manifestación inicial de hipovitaminosis A. Resultados: Con deficiencia significativa de Vitamina A, en 11 pacientes se realizaron neuroimágenes. De ellos, 8 tuvieron resultados patológicos con presencia de hiperostosis craneal. En estos se realizó punción lumbar y en 7 de los 8 pacientes se detectó hipertensión endocraneana. Todos tenían selectividad alimentaria y el 61.5 % TEA. Conclusiones: La neuropatía óptica toxico-nutricional es una enfermedad poco frecuente en niños y se presenta con pérdida visual progresiva, bilateral e indolora debido al daño del nervio óptico, pudiendo generar lesión severa e irreversible del mismo. La anamnesis alimentaria permite la pesquisa temprana de deficiencias de nutrientes en niños con alimentación restrictiva, especialmente en pacientes neuro atípicos. Esto es esencial para implementar medidas de prevención y el tratamiento con vitamina A con el fin de evitar consecuencias irreversibles.

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Pyriproxyfen is a pesticide used in Brazil to control the Aedes aegypti mosquito, vector of arboviruses like Zika and dengue. However, this pesticide is structurally similar to retinoic acid, a metabolite of vitamin A that regulates neuronal differentiation and hindbrain development during the embryonic period. Due to the similarity between pyriproxyfen and retinoic acid, studies indicate that this pesticide may have cross-reactivity with retinoid receptors. Thus, pregnant exposure to pyriproxyfen could interfere in the nervous system development of the fetal. In this context, the present study evaluated whether prenatal exposure to pyriproxyfen affects neonatal development and brain structure in rats. Wistar rat pups were divided in three experimental groups: (1) negative control (CT-)-offspring of rats that drink potable water during pregnancy; (2) pyriproxyfen (PIR)-offspring of rats exposed to Sumilarv® prenatally, a pesticide that has pyriproxyfen as active ingredient; and (3) positive control (CT+)-offspring of rats exposed to an excess of vitamin A prenatally. Only vitamin A treated-pregnant showed lower weight gain, but gestation length was similar among pregnant that received potable water, water containing vitamin A and water containing Sumilarv. In relation to the offspring, PIR group exhibits a delayed front-limb suspension response but performed early the negative geotaxis reflex. On the other hand, CT+ group exhibited lower body weight in the 1st postnatal day, delayed audio startle response, but performed early the eyelids opening and hindlimb placing response. A reduction in the maximum brain width was observed both in PIR and CT+ groups, but a reduction in the number of neurons in the M1 cortex was showed only in CT+ group. The number of glial cells in this brain area was similar between the three experimental groups studied. Although prenatal exposure to pyriproxyfen did not alter neonatal milestones in the same way as vitamin A in excess, both substances caused a reduction in the maximum width of the brain, suggesting that this pesticide can produce neurotoxic effects during the embryonic period.

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PURPOSE: Vitamin A is related to concentrations of insulin-like growth factor type 1, a protein produced in response to growth hormone, and to increased mobilization of body iron stores. Thus, vitamin A aids in increased hematopoiesis and may be useful in preventing stunting and anemia. This study aimed to identify the association between vitamin A supplementation from the National Vitamin A Supplementation Program instituted in Brazil and stunting and anemia in socially vulnerable Brazilian children. METHODS: This is a Cross-sectional population-based study. Children aged 6-59 months old, living in favelas of a capital city in the Northeast of Brazil, were included. Sociodemographic variables were collected. Vitamin A supplementation was also evaluated using the child's vaccination card information. Anthropometric and capillary hemoglobin evaluations were performed to identify the presence of stunting and anemia, respectively. The association analysis was performed using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation. RESULTS: 598 children participated in this study; 11.3% and 55.6% had stunting and anemia, respectively. As for vitamin A supplementation, 59.5% had taken at least one dose of the supplement,and 3.5% were on the complete supplementation scheme. In the adjusted association analysis, vitamin A supplementation decreased the likelihood of children having stunting and anemia by 8% (RP:0.86; 95% IC 0.86-0.98; p = 0.014) and 31% (RP:0.69; 95% IC 0.53-0.89; p = 0.004), respectively. Children who were fully supplemented were 58% (RP:0.42; 95% IC 0.24-0.77; p = 0.008) less likely to have anemia. CONCLUSION: Thus, vitamin A supplementation is a protective tool against stunting and anemia in children living in a situation of social vulnerability.

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Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus remains the primary factor associated with the progression of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions and the development of cervical cancer. Nevertheless, a combination of factors, including genetic predisposition, immune response, hormonal influences, and nutritional status, contribute synergistically to the development of cervical cancer. Among the various factors involved in the pathogenesis and therapy of cervical cancer, retinoids have gained considerable attention due to their multifaceted roles in different cellular processes. This review investigates defects within the vitamin A metabolism pathway and their correlation with cervical cancer. Additionally, it integrates epidemiological and experimental findings to discuss the potential utility of retinoid-based therapies, either alone or combined with other therapies, as agents against premalignant lesions and cervical cancer.

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OBJECTIVES: The new corona virus infection, has a wide range of clinical manifestations. Fever and cough are the most common symptoms. The olfactory function may be also affected with COVID-19. In this randomized clinical trial, we wanted to evaluate the therapeutic effect of olfactory training with and without oral vitamin A for COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction. METHODS: Patients answered to the standard Persian version of anosmia reporting tool and performed the quick smell test before and after 12 weeks and at the end of the 12 months follow up. The patients were randomly allocated to three groups; Group A treatment with olfactory training, Group B treatment with oral vitamin A and olfactory training, and Group C as control group which only underwent nasal irrigation twice a day. Patients were treated for 3 months and followed up for 12 months. RESULTS: Totally 90 patients were included in three groups. After interventions, 76.9% of patients in Group A, 86.7% of patients in Group B, and 26.7% of patients in Group C completely improved. The average intervention time was statistically significant in relationship with the final olfactory status of the patients in the 12 months follow-up. The olfactory training has significantly improved the smell alteration at the end of 3- and 12- months follow-up in A and B groups. CONCLUSION: A three-months olfactory training is effective for improvement of COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction. Adding daily oral vitamin A to olfactory training did not lead to better results in improving olfactory dysfunction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Step 2 (Level 2*): Randomized trial.

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Oxidative stress may affect new born calves due to high stress suffered around birth. We hypothesized that maternal supplementation with micronutrients and vitamins in late gestation enhance the neonatal calf's antioxidant system, decreasing the occurrence and duration of diarrhea, and improving growth from birth through weaning. To test this hypothesis, 80 multiparous cows were cluster-assigned to treatment groups. Treated group (TG) cows received mineral and vitamin supplementation while control group (CG) cows received saline solution. Feed intake and fecal score were measured daily until the ninth week. Weight and body measurements were registered weekly, and blood samples were collected from postpartum cows and calves after birth and at 7, 14, and 63 days of life. Although CG calves had greater fecal scores (p = 0.01), diarrhea characteristics did not differ. Calves in the TG showed greater starter intake (p = 0.04). Feed efficiency showed a trend with treatment-age interaction (p = 0.06). Calves in the CG had wider hips in the first week (p = 0.03), but not by the ninth week. Total antioxidant status, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and haptoglobin did not differ between treatment groups. Serum metabolites showed no differences. Supplementation did not impact calf antioxidant system or growth in the first two months.

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Vitamin A (VA) has many functions in the body, some of which are key for the development and functioning of the nervous system, while some others might indirectly influence neural function. Both hypovitaminosis and hypervitaminosis A can lead to clinical manifestations of concern for individuals and for general global health. Scientific evidence on the link between VA and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is growing, with some clinical studies and accumulating results obtained from basic research using cellular and animal models. Remarkably, it has been shown that VA deficiency can exacerbate autistic symptomatology. In turn, VA supplementation has been shown to be able to improve autistic symptomatology in selected groups of individuals with ASD. However, it is important to recognize that ASD is a highly heterogeneous condition. Therefore, it is important to clarify how and when VA supplementation can be of benefit for affected individuals. Here we delve into the relationship between VA and ASD, discussing clinical observations and mechanistic insights obtained from research on selected autistic syndromes and laboratory models to advance in defining how the VA signaling pathway can be exploited for treatment of ASD.

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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between deficiency of vitamin A or D at diagnosis of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and subsequent infectious complications during induction therapy. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted an institutional review board-approved, retrospective cohort study of children with newly diagnosed ALL from 2007 to 2017 at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. We measured vitamin D, vitamin D binding protein, retinol binding protein as a surrogate for vitamin A, and immunoglobulin isotypes in serum obtained at ALL diagnosis, and we assessed the association between vitamin deficiencies or levels and infection-related complications during the 6-week induction phase using Cox regression models. RESULTS: Among 378 evaluable participants, vitamin A and D deficiencies were common (43% and 17%, respectively). Vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher risks of febrile neutropenia (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.7; P = .0072), clinically documented infection (aHR, 1.73; P = .025), and likely bacterial infection (aHR, 1.86; P = .008). Conversely, vitamin A deficiency was associated solely with a lower risk of sepsis (aHR, 0.19; P = .027). CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective study, vitamin D deficiency was associated with an increased risk of common infection-related complications during induction therapy for ALL. Additional studies are warranted to evaluate whether vitamin D supplementation could mitigate this effect.

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Background: Respiratory tract infections remain among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of mucosal immunity in defending against infectious agents. Vitamin A is known to influence the production of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) predominantly in the gut, where it is a critical component of the first line of defense on mucosal surfaces. Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted 14 days post-positive COVID-19 diagnosis, aimed to determine the relationship between the nutritional status of vitamin A and SIgA levels in COVID-19 outpatients. Serum and saliva samples were collected. Vitamin A nutritional status was determined based on the assessment of dietary intake and the analysis of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4). SIgA levels were analyzed from salivary samples. In addition, serum antibodies were analyzed. Results: Dietary vitamin A intake and RBP4 levels positively correlated with SIgA. Patients with higher vitamin A intake showed higher SIgA/IgG1 and SIgA/IgG3 ratios, while those with higher RBP4 levels showed higher SIgA/IgM, SIgA/IgG1, and SIgA/IgG2 ratios. Conclusions: These findings underscore a significant correlation between vitamin A nutritional status and SIgA levels in COVID-19 outpatients, which may suggest the potential importance of maintaining optimal vitamin A levels for the prevention of viral infections.

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Introduction: Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, obtained through diet. Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children in developing countries due to impaired intake (Phanachet et al. 2018). Nevertheless, it is uncommon in the developed world where malabsorption takes a prominent role. Case description: A fifty-one-year-old female presented complaining of foreign body sensation, pain, tearing, fluctuating visual acuity, nyctalopia, diarrhea, polyphagia and weight loss. She had history of Roux-en-Y gastro-jejunal bypass, Lynch syndrome and right hemicolectomy with ileo-colonic anastomosis, she also referred to an additional unspecified bowel resection. In the ophthalmologic examination, best corrected visual acuity was 20/30, intraocular pressure was 11 mmHg in both eyes. Anterior segment biomicroscopy revealed a dry and thickened conjunctiva with wrinkles, multiple grey-white small, round, confluent, foamy lesions in the interpalpebral conjunctiva of both eyes, compatible with Bitot's spots, and superficial punctate keratitis. Discussion: The rise of bariatric surgery, inflammatory bowel disease and end stage liver disease has led to an increase in cases of malabsorption syndrome and nutrient deficiencies in the developed world. Retinoids are essential for corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells differentiation and its deficiency is associated with a wide spectrum of ocular surface manifestations known as xerophthalmia. In this case, a gastric bypass and another unspecified bowel resection should raise the suspicion of malabsorption and nutrient deficiencies. In our patient, the diagnosis was made early and appropriate treatment was implemented before irreversible damage arose, however, vitamin A deficiency can be easily overlooked. Conclusion: In patients with xerophthalmia, interrogation should include previous history of gastrointestinal surgery, especially since bariatric surgery has become a popular technique. This is, to our knowledge, the first case report of xerophthalmia in a patient with Lynch syndrome.

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This work evaluated the influence of vitamin A on performance, organ weight, and bone and skin characteristics in broilers (Cobb 500) at 21 and 42 days of age. A total of 1920 chickens were distributed in a randomised design, considering six vitamin A supplementation levels (0, 6000, 16,000, 26,000, 36,000, and 46,000 IU kg-1 ), with 16 replicates and 20 chickens per experimental unit, established due to rising the range of vitamin levels observed in the literature to evaluate the effect of vitamin A on broilers. At 22 days, half of the replicates from each treatment continued receiving the initial diet, and the other eight repetitions received diets without vitamin A (0 IU kg-1 ) until 42 days. The level of vitamin A influenced feed intake (FI) and body weight gain (BWG) until 21 days for all treatments. Broilers at 21 days of age had a more significant BWG at a vitamin A supplementation level of 28,209 IU kg-1 . At 42 days, vitamin A influenced the BWG and FI of broilers at treatments that were not supplemented after 21 days. Treatments supplemented up to 42 days showed quadratic responses to vitamin A for BWG, FI, and feed conversion. The vitamin A levels influenced the relative weights of the small intestine, pancreas, gizzard, abdominal fat, Seedor index, and breaking strength at 42 days, where the adequate supplementation of vitamin A improved these characteristics in broilers. Vitamin A supplementation from 22 to 42 days old did not affect broiler performance. An increased BWG was obtained when vitamin A supplementation occurred until 42 days, with supplementation of 29,375 IU kg-1 and a lower response of feed conversion with the addition of 27,775 IU kg-1 .

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OBJECTIVES: To assess postmortem vitamin A (VA) concentrations in children under 5 years of age and evaluate the association between VA deficiency (VAD) and infectious causes of death (CoD). STUDY DESIGN: In this cross-sectional study from the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Network, liver biopsies collected within 72 hours of death were analyzed from 405 stillbirths and children under 5 years in Kenya and South Africa. Total liver VA (TLVA) concentrations were quantified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography, and cutoffs of ≤0.1 µmol/g, >0.1 to <0.7 µmol/g, ≥0.7 to <1.0 µmol/g, and ≥1.0 µmol/g were used to define VAD, adequate VA status, high VA, and hypervitaminosis A, respectively. CoD were determined by expert panel review. RESULTS: Among 366 liver samples with viable extraction, pooled prevalences of VAD, adequacy, high VA, and hypervitaminosis were 34.2%, 51.1%, 6.0%, and 8.7%, respectively. VAD was more common among neonates compared with stillbirths, infants, or children, and among those with low birthweight (LBW), underweight, or stunting (P < .05). When adjusting for site, age, and sex, there was no significant association of VAD with increased infectious CoD (OR 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9, 3.8, P = .073). In stratified analyses, VA deficient boys, but not girls, had an increased risk of infectious CoD (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.3, 10.3, P = .013). CONCLUSIONS: Definitive postmortem assessment of VA status identified both VAD and VA excess among children under 5 years of age in Kenya and South Africa. VAD in boys was associated with increased risk of infectious mortality. Our findings may inform a transition from universal VA supplementation (VAS) to targeted strategies in certain countries.

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BACKGROUND: In countries where sugar fortification with vitamin A is mandatory, strategies to reduce the prevalence of overweight/obesity in adolescents that involve lowering added sugar intake could lead to vitamin A inadequate intakes, since vitamin A-fortified sugar for home consumption contributes to a high proportion of this vitamin intake in the adolescent diet. METHODS: The study employed a hierarchical linear model to perform a mediation analysis on a cross-sectional sample of adolescents (13-18 years old) in the province of San José, Costa Rica. RESULTS: Lowering the total energy intake derived from added sugars to less than 10% significantly increases the prevalence of vitamin A inadequate intake in adolescents by 12.1% (from 29.6% to 41.7%). This is explained by the mediation model in which, the reduced adequacy of vitamin A intake is mediated by a reduction in total energy intake derived from added sugars fortified with vitamin A. CONCLUSIONS: The vitamin A fortification of sugar for household consumption should be reassessed according to the current epidemiological profile in Costa Rica to promote strategies that reduce the prevalence of overweight/obesity in adolescents by lowering the consumption of added sugars without affecting vitamin A intake.

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The new coronavirus infection represents a serious threat to global health and economies. In this sense, it is paramount to know the nutritional factors that may be related to the prognosis of the disease. Evidence shows that vitamin A may play an important preventive and therapeutic role in supporting respiratory infections as in COVID-19. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association of vitamin A (retinol) status with the prognosis of the disease. A case-control study from a cohort study was conducted in Brazil between May and October 2020. The study population was chosen by convenience, consisting of participants diagnosed with COVID-19. Recruitment was carried out using different approaches, including through dissemination on social media and in four hospitals in the city of Natal/RN, Brazil, recruiting participants from the COVID-19 ward and hospitalized participants who tested positive for the disease. The participants were allocated into two groups according to severity, with a group of mild (n = 88) or critical (n = 106) patients and compared to a control group (selected before the pandemic, n = 46). The extraction of retinol serum was performed and analyzed using the high-performance liquid chromatography method (HPLC). The retinol level was calculated in mmol/L, and levels below 0.7 µmol/L (20 µg/dL) were considered to be a vitamin A deficiency. Our findings suggest that the participants with mild and critical COVID-19 had lower retinol levels compared to the healthy controls (p = 0.03). In addition, milder cases of COVID-19 were associated with increased symptoms and prolonged symptoms after 90 days since the beginning of infection. However, the survival analysis showed no association with higher cases of death among participants with vitamin A deficiency (p = 0.509). More studies are needed to understand how nutritional status, including vitamin A levels, can influence prognosis and is a risk factor for the development of long COVID syndrome.

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A carência de vitamina A é considerada um problema de saúde pública em vários países de baixa e média renda, inclusive no Brasil. Nesse contexto, foi instituído o Programa Nacional de Suplementação de Vitamina A (PNSVA), com o intuito de suplementar as crianças de 6 a 59 meses com megadoses dessa vitamina. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o conhecimento dos profissionais a respeito desse programa, além da operacionalização, do funcionamento e da cobertura do PNSVA. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, realizado em Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, para o qual foram realizadas entrevistas com os profissionais de 58 Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS). Os dados da cobertura do PNSVA (2012 a 2020) foram coletados através do Sistema de Informação de Micronutrientes. Dos entrevistados, 39,6% citaram a distribuição de cápsulas de vitamina A como forma de atingir os objetivos do PNSVA, e apenas 36,2% receberam capacitação sobre o programa. Em relação à sua operacionalização, 56,9% relataram nunca terem faltado cápsulas de vitamina A na UBS, e 41,3% realizavam o registro das doses administradas no Mapa Diário de Administração de Vitamina A. Já sobre o funcionamento do programa, 61,1% o avaliaram como bom. A cobertura do PNSVA foi inferior à meta pactuada, tendo sido observadas lacunas no conhecimento, na operacionalização e no funcionamento do programa.

Vitamin A deficiency is considered a public health problem in several low-and middle-income countries, including Brazil. In this context, the National Vitamin A Supplementation Program (PNSVA) was instituted with the aim of supplementing children aged 6 to 59 months with megadoses of vitamin A. This cross-sectional study carried out in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, aimed to evaluate professionals' knowledge, operationalization, functioning, and coverage of the PNSVA. We interviewed professionals from 58 Basic Health Units and collected PNSVA coverage data (2012-2020) from the Micronutrient Information System. Of those interviewed, 39.6% cited the distribution of vitamin A capsules to achieve the PNSVA objectives, and only 36.2% received training on the program. Operationalization-wise, 56.9% reported never running out of vitamin A capsules at the Unit, and 41.3% recorded the doses administered on the Daily Map. About the operation, 61.1% rated the PNSVA as good. PNSVA coverage was below the recommended target. PNSVA functioning, operationalization, and coverage did not reach the agreed goals, highlighting the current knowledge gaps in the program.

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El creciente aumento de daños visuales como, ha llevado a científicos y especialistas a realizar ensayos clínicos con pacientes vulnerables, usando alimentos con nutrientes específicos que aportan al cuidado de las estructuras del globo ocular, pues la nutrición de este órgano se obtiene directamente de la sangre. Objetivo. Analizar los ensayos clínicos con vigencia de 9 años sobre antioxidantes, betacarotenos y otras vitaminas para la prevención de enfermedades oculares. Metodología. Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica bajo con un análisis de 40 artículos, tesis y libros sobres la relación entre la nutrición y el cuidado primario de las estructuras oculares, esto se realizó en tres momentos, búsqueda, clasificación y sistematización de las fuentes. Conclusión. Se confirmó que del 50% de los pacientes que ingirieron placebo no mejoraban su condición anatomo fisiológica en relación aquellos pacientes que sí ingirieron nutrientes y vitaminas específicas, los mismos, mejoraron en un 30% el nivel de agudeza visual. La promoción y prevención como cuidado primario en salud visual es importante y se demuestran los altos porcentajes de buena salud visual en aquellos pacientes que durante su vida tuvieron hábitos alimenticios correctos y nutrición equilibrada, además de ser menormente propensos a adquirir problemas degenerativos visuales, aun teniendo antecedentes hereditarios.

The increasing increase in visual damage has led scientists and specialists to conduct clinical trials with vulnerable patients, using foods with specific nutrients that contribute to the care of the structures of the eyeball, since the nutrition of this organ is obtained directly from the blood. Objective. To analyze 9 years of clinical trials on antioxidants, beta-carotene and other vitamins for the prevention of ocular diseases. Methodology. A bibliographic review was carried out with an analysis of 40 articles, theses and books on the relationship between nutrition and primary care of the ocular structures, this was done in three moments, search, classification and systematization of the sources. Conclusion. It was confirmed that 50% of the patients who ingested placebo did not improve their anatomo-physiological condition in relation to those patients who ingested specific nutrients and vitamins, they improved their visual acuity level by 30%. The promotion and prevention as primary care in visual health is important and the high percentages of good visual health are demonstrated in those patients who during their life had correct eating habits and balanced nutrition, besides being less prone to acquire visual degenerative problems, even if they have hereditary antecedents.

O crescente aumento dos danos visuais tem levado cientistas e especialistas a realizarem ensaios clínicos com pacientes vulneráveis, utilizando alimentos com nutrientes específicos que contribuem para o cuidado das estruturas do globo ocular, uma vez que a nutrição desse órgão é obtida diretamente do sangue. Objetivo. Analisar 9 anos de ensaios clínicos sobre antioxidantes, betacaroteno e outras vitaminas para a prevenção de doenças oculares. Metodologia. Foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica com análise de 40 artigos, teses e livros sobre a relação entre nutrição e cuidados primários das estruturas oculares, em três etapas: busca, classificação e sistematização das fontes. Conclusões. Confirmou-se que 50% dos pacientes que ingeriram placebo não melhoraram sua condição anátomo-fisiológica em relação aos pacientes que ingeriram nutrientes e vitaminas específicas, os mesmos pacientes melhoraram seu nível de acuidade visual em 30%. A promoção e a prevenção como cuidados primários na saúde visual são importantes e as altas porcentagens de boa saúde visual são demonstradas naqueles pacientes que, durante sua vida, tiveram hábitos alimentares corretos e nutrição balanceada, além de serem menos propensos a adquirir problemas degenerativos visuais, mesmo que tenham antecedentes hereditários.

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BACKGROUND: The consumption of foods such as sweet potato and cassava with high levels of carotenoids is a possible solution to reduce vitamin A deficiency. In this study, we evaluated the kinetics of thermal degradation of carotenoids. The content of carotenoids was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography, first in fresh material, then in flour and finally in bakery products using mixtures of wheat, sweet potato and cassava. The degree of acceptance of the bakery products by children was also assessed through a sensory acceptance test. RESULTS: The study found that the degradation of carotenoid compounds in sweet potato followed first-order kinetics and fitted the Arrhenius equation with correlations of R2 > 0.9. The retention rates of all-trans-ß-carotene were 77%, 56% and 48% at cooking temperatures of 75, 85 and 95 °C respectively, during a cooking time of 20 min. The concentrations of all-trans-ß-carotene, after baking, for bread, cookies and cake were 15, 19 and 14 µg g-1 db, respectively. In a sensory acceptance test carried out in a school, 47.6% of the boys and 79.2% of the girls rated the cookies made from a mixture of cassava, sweet potato and wheat flour with the indicator I like it a lot. CONCLUSION: The content of carotenoid compounds was reduced by exposure to high temperatures and long cooking times. The combinations of cooking time and temperature which minimized degradation of all-trans-ß-carotene occurred at 75 °C-20 min and 95 °C-10 min. All-trans-ß-carotene retentions for bread, cookies and cake were 25%, 15% and 11% respectively. The mixture of wheat, sweet potato and cassava flour can be considered in the development of cookies with positive contributions of all-trans-ß-carotenes and with a good acceptance by children between 9 and 13 years old. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

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Body adiposity is associated with increased metabolic risk, and evidence indicates that vitamin A is important in regulating body fat. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum concentrations of vitamin A and its association with body adiposity in women with the recommended intake of vitamin A. A cross-sectional study was designed with 200 women divided into four groups according to Body Mass Index (BMI): normal weight (NW), overweight (OW), class I obesity (OI), and class 2 obesity (OII). The cut-off points to assess inadequate participants were retinol < 1.05 µmol/L and ß-carotene < 40 µg/dL. Body adiposity was assessed through different parameters and indexes, including waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), hypertriglyceridemic waist (HW), lipid accumulation product (LAP), Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI), and Body Adiposity Index (BAI). It was observed that 55.5% of women had low serum concentrations of ß-carotene (34.9 ± 13.8 µmol/L, p < 0.001) and 43.5% had low concentrations of retinol (0.71 ± 0.3 µmol/L, p < 0.001). Women classified as OI and OII had lower mean values of ß-carotene (OI-35.9 ± 4.3 µg/dL: OII-32.0 ± 0.9 µg/dL [p < 0.001]). IAV showed significant negative correlation with retinol (r = -0.73, p < 0.001). Vitamin A deficiency is associated with excess body adiposity in women with the recommended intake of vitamin. Greater body adiposity, especially visceral, was correlated with reduced serum concentrations of vitamin A.

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ABSTRACT Introduction: Renal ischemia (I) could develop due to decreased or ceased blood flow to the kidney in some clinical conditions such as shock, sepsis, and kidney transplantation. The re-supply of blood to the kidney is called reperfusion (R). Ischemia and reperfusion periods can cause severe kidney damage. Objectives: When we examined the I/R molecular progression, antioxidant molecules such as vitamin A seem promising treatment agents. This study aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin A on renal I/R injury. Material and Methods: In the study, 40 Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into five groups (n=8): the control group, only I/R, I/R+1000, I/R+3000, and I/R+9000 IU/kg of Vitamin A groups. Vitamin A was administrated to each group for seven days via oral gavage. Blood and kidney tissue samples were collected at the end of the experiment. We took blood samples for Superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (Cr) levels, and determined their values. The tissue samples were stained with hematoxylin/eosin to examine the renal changes histopathologically and stereologically under a light microscope. Results: Histopathological changes caused by I/R were decreased with vitamin A administration in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). Vitamin A administration decreased MDA levels and increased SOD and CAT activities (p<0.05). The most effective dose among treatment groups was 9000 IU/kg. There was no significant difference between the controls and all other groups regarding BUN and Cr concentrations. Conclusions: Consequently, administration of vitamin A after renal I/R reduced the histological damage and ameliorated the antioxidant state. These results showed that vitamin A could be a promising agent in treating I/R-induced acute kidney injury.

RESUMEN Introducción: La isquemia renal (I) puede desarrollarse debido a la disminución o interrupción del flujo sanguíneo al riñón en algunas condiciones clínicas como shock, sepsis y trasplante renal. El reabastecimiento de sangre al riñón se denomina reperfusión (R). Tanto la isquemia como los períodos de reperfusión pueden causar graves daños renales. Objetivos: Cuando examinamos la progresión molecular I/R, las moléculas antioxidantes como la vitamina A parecen agentes de tratamiento prometedores. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar los efectos de la vitamina A sobre la lesión renal I/R. Material y Métodos: En el estudio, 40 ratas macho Sprague-Dawley se dividieron en 5 grupos (n=8) como: control, solo I/R, I/R+1000, I/R+3000 e I/R+9000 UI/kg de la Vitamina A. La vitamina A se administró a cada grupo durante 7 días por vía oral forzada. Al final del experimento se recolectaron muestras de sangre y tejido del riñón. A partir de muestras de sangre se determinaron los niveles de superóxido dismutasa (SOD), malondialdehído (MDA), catalasa (CAT), nitrógeno ureico en sangre (BUN) y creatinina (Cr). Las muestras de tejido se tiñeron con hematoxilina/eosina y los cambios en la histología renal se examinaron histopatológicamente y estereológicamente al microscopio de luz. Resultados: Los cambios histopatológicos causados por I/R disminuyeron con la administración de la vitamina A de manera dependiente de la dosis (p<0,05). La administración de la vitamina A disminuyó los niveles de MDA, aumentó las actividades de SOD y CAT (p<0,05). La dosis más eficaz entre los grupos del tratamiento fue de 9000 UI/kg. No hubo una diferencia significativa entre el grupo control y todos los demás grupos con respecto a las concentraciones de BUN y Cr. Conclusiones: Consiguientemente, la administración de la vitamina A, después de I/R renal, redujo el daño histológico y mejoró el estado antioxidante. Estos resultados mostraron que la vitamina A puede ser un agente promisorio en el tratamiento de la lesión renal aguda (LRA) inducida por I/R.

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Abstract Introduction Laryngeal leukoplakia corresponds to a white lesion in the mucosa developed by the deposit of keratin in the epithelium, potentiated by chronic smoking. It is considered a preneoplastic lesion. Surgery is the most adopted treatment; however, non-surgical treatment is advocated by some authors. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin A in the management of vocal fold leukoplakia. Methods Patients with videolaryngoscopy diagnosis of vocal fold leukoplakia were selected. The endoscopic images were photographed and with the aid of the ImageJ software (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA), the proportion of the size of the leukoplakia was calculated. Eligible patients were prescribed 50,000U of vitamin A, twice daily for 2 months, at which point videolaryngostroboscopy was repeated for comparative analysis between pre and posttreatment. The efficacy of the treatment was classified as: outcome I - complete improvement of the lesion, outcome II - partial improvement, and outcome III - no difference or increased lesion size. Results Fifteen patients (eight women, seven men) were included, six of whom had bilateral lesions. Smoking was reported in 86.8% of patients. Complete improvement of the lesion was found in 7 cases (33.4%, outcome I), partial improvement in 6 (28.6%, outcome II), and worsening of the injury in 8 (38.1%, outcome III). Of the latter, 6 underwent microsurgery; histopathology indicated absence of dysplasia in 3, and mild dysplasia in 3. Conclusions In this study, the treatment with vitamin A at a dose of 100,000 IU daily for 2 months was effective in reducing the laryngeal leukoplakia size in 62% of cases.