Total Liver Vitamin A Reserves, Determined With 13C2-Retinol Isotope Dilution, are Similar Among Tanzanian Preschool Children in Areas With Low and High Vitamin A Exposure.

Background: In Tanzania, some districts have single vitamin A (VA) interventions and others have multiple interventions. There is limited information on total liver VA reserves (TLRs) among preschool children (PSC) in Tanzania.

Objectives: We assessed total body VA stores (TBSs) and TLRs among PSC living in 2 districts with low and high exposures to VA interventions using 13C-retinol isotope dilution.

Methods: A cross-sectional, health facility-based study was conducted in 2 districts with access to VA supplementation only (low exposure to VA interventions) or multiple interventions (high exposure to VA interventions) to determine TLRs in 120 PSC aged 36-59 months. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Height and weight were measured, and the prevalence of undernutrition was based on z-scores. Blood samples were collected for measurement of TBSs, TLRs, retinol, biomarkers of infection and inflammation, and hemoglobin. 13C2-retinyl acetate (1.0 μmol) was administered to each child after blood collection, and the second sample was taken 14 days later. Serum was analyzed with HPLC and gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare medians of nonnormally distributed variables. Pearson χ2 test was used to assess associations between 2 categorical variables.

Results: Median TBSs differed between PSC from low-exposure (196 μmol; IQR, 120 μmol) and high-exposure (231 μmol; IQR, 162 μmol) intervention areas (P = 0.015). Median TLRs were 0.23 μmol/g liver (IQR, 0.14 μmol/g liver) and 0.26 μmol/g liver (IQR, 0.16 μmol/g liver) from low- and high-exposure areas, respectively, which did not significantly differ (P = 0.12). Prevalences of VA deficiency (VAD; ≤0.1 μmol/g liver) were 6.3% and 1.7% for PSC from low- and high-exposure areas, respectively. There was no significant difference in VAD (P = 0.25). No child had hypervitaminosis A (≥1.0 μmol/g liver).

Conclusions: TLRs in Tanzanian PSC from 2 districts did not differ between low and high exposures to VA interventions. The majority had adequate VA stores. VAD in the study area presented a mild public health problem.