Nutritional status and serum vitamin A, protein and albumin levels in children six to fifty-nine months in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria

Background: Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) is a major public health problem in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world and often arises during protein and/or energy deficits due to nutritional inadequacy, poor socio-economic and environmental conditions and infections. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is an important health concern in severe malnutrition and has been found to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Children with PEM have greater deficiency of total protein and albumin and in severe cases the total protein may be reduced to about 50 per-cent. The objective of this study was to determine the serum vitamin A, total protein and albumin in malnourished children aged 6-59 months at Institute of Child Health Zaria. Methods: This study was a case control health- based descriptive study to determine the relationship between serum vitamin A, protein and albumin levels among children with Protein Energy Malnutrition and their controls at Institute of Child Health, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Zaria. Using systematic sampling method, a total of 132 children (cases and controls) between 6 and 59 months of age were selected for assessment of their serum vitamin A, protein and albumin. Serum vitamin A level was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography while the total serum protein and albumin levels were analyzed on the Boerhringer Mannheim Automated Hitachi system 704 using the Biuret and colour change methods respectively. Results: The highest mean serum vitamin A (60.28±11.03μg/dl) and mean protein (61.24±10.12g/dl) among malnourished group were seen in marasmic –kwashiokor. For the controls, the mean serum protein is 62.96±5.99g/dl while the mean serum vitamin A is 59.44±13.90μg/dl. The overall mean serum protein for study group and controls were 50.2 4 ± 12.33μg/dl and 62.96±5.99g/dl respectively and the difference between them was statistically significant (p<0.01) The highest mean retinol (60.28±11.03) and albumin (38.43±30.14g/dl) were recorded among the marasmic-kwashiorkor malnutrition, while for the controls, the mean retinol was 50.44±13.90μg/dl and the mean serum albumin was 37.62±40.98g/dl. The overall mean serum albumin for both study group and controls were37.17±12.22g/dl and 37.62±40.98g/dl respectively and the difference between them was statistically significant (p<0.04). Conclusion: The serumprotein and albumin showed positive correlation with serum vitamin A levels. The highest mean serum vitamin A, protein and albumin was seen in marasmic-kwashiorkor among under-nourished children