Blood Vitamin Levels in Children with Gastroenteritis

Abstract

Clinical evaluation and estimation of blood levels of vitamins A, E, C, B1, B2, B6 and of total carotenoids were carried out in 52 consecutive children admitted to the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children in Sydney during the winter epidemic of diarrhoea. The children included 37 Europeans and 15 Aboriginals, who were previously apparently healthy. Of these, 19 Europeans and ten Abororigines were studied also after recovery. The anthropometric, clinical, microbiological and biochemical data for each child is presented. Vitamin treatment, duration of symptoms, severity of diarrhoea, stool microbiology and the role of secondary malabsorption as a main cause of the depressed plasma vitamin levels found is discussed.