Association between infection and nutritional status among infants in a cohort study of vitamin A in western Kenya.

Background: Infection is associated with impaired nutritional status, especially for infants younger than 5 years.

Objectives: We assessed the impact of infection indicated by both acute phase proteins (APP), C-reactive protein (CRP), and α-1-acid-glycoprotein (AGP), and as reported by maternal recall on the nutritional status of infants.

Materials And Methods: A total of 505 pregnant women were enrolled in a nested longitudinal cohort study of vitamin A (VA).

Effects of community-based sales of micronutrient powders on morbidity episodes in preschool children in Western Kenya.

Background: Although the use of micronutrient powders (MNPs) is considered the preferred approach for childhood anemia control, concerns about iron-related morbidity from clinical trials have challenged programmatic scale-up.

Objective: We aimed to measure the effects of community-based sales of MNPs on diarrhea-, fever-, cough-, and malaria-morbidity episodes in children 6-35 mo of age.

Design: We conducted a cluster-randomized trial in rural Western Kenya where 60 villages were randomly assigned to either intervention or control groups.

Effect of multiple micronutrient versus iron-folate supplementation during pregnancy on intrauterine growth.

This review examines the effects of prenatal multiple micronutrient (MM) supplementation (≥5 micronutrients) on intrauterine growth. We identified publications from 16 randomized controlled trials through PubMed and EMBASE database searches. Meta-analyses were performed by pooling results, and sub-analyses by timing of intervention and amount of iron were also done.

Effect of multiple micronutrient supplementation on pregnancy and infant outcomes: a systematic review.

Supplementation with multiple micronutrients (MM) during pregnancy may result in improved pregnancy and infant outcomes. We conducted meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effects of prenatal supplementation with MM (defined as containing at least five micronutrients and typically included iron or iron and folic acid). The outcomes of interest were low birthweight (<2500 g), birthweight, small-for-gestational age (SGA), gestational age, preterm birth (<37 weeks' gestation), stillbirth and neonatal death, maternal morbidity and mortality.

Comparison of indicators of iron deficiency in Kenyan children.

Background: In the absence of a feasible, noninvasive gold standard, iron deficiency (ID) is best measured by the use of multiple indicators. However, the choice of an appropriate single iron biomarker to replace the multiple-criteria model for screening for ID at the population level continues to be debated.

Objective: We compared ID defined as ≥ 2 of 3 abnormal ferritin (< 12 μg/L), soluble transferrin receptor (TfR; > 8.

Associations between serum C-reactive protein and serum zinc, ferritin, and copper in Guatemalan school children.

Inflammation affects trace nutrient concentrations, but research on copper and particularly in children is limited. We assessed associations between serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and zinc, iron, copper, and other biomarkers (alkaline phosphatase, hemoglobin, and albumin), in 634 healthy 6- to 11-year-old Guatemalan schoolchildren. CRP was measured by a standardized, high-sensitive method.

Correcting for inflammation changes estimates of iron deficiency among rural Kenyan preschool children.

The assessment of iron status where infections are common is complicated by the effects of inflammation on iron indicators and in this study we compared approaches that adjust for this influence. Blood was collected in 680 children (aged 6-35 mo) and indicators of iron status [(hemoglobin (Hb), zinc protoporphyrin (ZP), ferritin, transferrin receptor (TfR), and TfR/ferritin index)] and subclinical inflammation [(the acute phase proteins (APP) C-reactive protein (CRP), and α-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP)] were determined. Malaria parasitemia was assessed.

Characterization of posthospital bloodstream infections in children requiring home parenteral nutrition.

Background: Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is lifesaving for children with intestinal failure. Catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CA-BSI) are common in hospitalized patients receiving parenteral nutrition (PN), but data evaluating CA-BSI in children receiving HPN are limited.

Objective: To determine the incidence and characteristics of CA-BSI in children receiving HPN.

25-hydroxyvitamin D status of healthy, low-income, minority children in Atlanta, Georgia.

Objectives: The goals were to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among minority children in a southern US city, to examine differences in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels between non-Hispanic black and Hispanic children, and to determine dietary sources of vitamin D.

Methods: Low-income, minority children (N = 290; mean age: 2.5 +/- 1.

Zinc and iron deficiency and their interrelations in low-income African American and Hispanic children in Atlanta.

Background: Information about the zinc status of low-income minority children in the United States is lacking.

Objective: The objective was to determine the prevalence of zinc deficiency and anemia and their interrelation among low-income African American and Hispanic preschool children.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study in which a prospective 3-d food diary was completed, and hemoglobin, serum ferritin, zinc, copper, and C-reactive protein concentrations were measured.