Nutritional and household risk factors for xerophthalmia in Aceh, Indonesia: a case-control study. The Aceh Study Group.

Risk factors for xerophthalmia were assessed in 466 subjects [38% with night blindness (XN), 60% with Bitot's spots (X1B), 2% with corneal xerophthalmia (X2 or X3)] under age 6 y and their village-age-sex-matched control subjects during a community trial. Socioeconomic status and hygiene standards were lowest for households of xerophthalmic children and highest for nonstudy households in the trial population, with values for control households lying in between (P less than 0.001 by linear trend).

Vitamin A supplementation and growth: a randomized community trial.

A randomized community trial was carried out in Aceh, Indonesia, 1982-1984, to assess the impact of semiannual vitamin A (VA) supplementation (60,000 micrograms RE) on preschool child growth: 229 villages were randomized to VA program and 221 to control status. One thousand thirty-two program and 980 control children aged 1-5 y were assessed and followed for 12 mo. VA program males gained an additional approximately 110 g weight at age 2-3 y (NS), 190 g at age 4 y (p less than 0.

Impact of vitamin A supplementation on xerophthalmia. A randomized controlled community trial.

The value of biannual distribution of 200,000 IU of vitamin A in preventing xerophthalmia was assessed in a randomized, controlled community-based trial involving 25,000 preschool children in 450 villages of northern Sumatra. Results indicate that distribution was associated with a dramatic decline in xerophthalmia prevalence; that concurrent controls were critical for distinguishing spontaneous from program-related changes; and that the apparent level of benefit depended on the choice of clinical indicator(s). Night blindness ceases to be an accurate reflection of impact when prevalence rates are low, and comparison of Bitot's spot rates should be confined to new cases of disease.