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Use of a short-term isotope-dilution method for determining the vitamin A status of children^1,2,3,4

¹ From the Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston (GT, JQ, and RMR); the Shun-yi District Health and Epidemic Prevention Center, Beijing (L-YH); and the Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Beijing (S-AY).

Background: After a dose of labeled vitamin A is given to humans for estimating body stores of vitamin A, blood is customarily drawn at pseudo-equilibration times ranging from 11 to 26 d.

Objective: The objective was to determine whether a shorter sample collection interval (6 h or 3 d), which would be more realistic in field settings, can be used.

Design: Correlations of enrichment at 6 h or 3 d with enrichment at 21 d were made after an oral dose of deuterium-labeled vitamin A was given to Chinese schoolchildren (aged 10–11 y; n = 58) with marginal-to-normal vitamin A status. A predictive equation was then derived and applied to data obtained from a separate group of children to verify that the calculated enrichment at 21 d (determined by using data obtained at an earlier time point to predict 21-d enrichment) reflected directly measured enrichment at 21 d.

Results: Because 3-d isotope enrichment was found to correlate well with 21-d enrichment, a predictive equation was derived whereby 3-d data were used to predict isotope enrichment at pseudo-equilibration (ie, at 21 d). When the 3-d predictive equation was applied to a separate group of Chinese children, the calculated 21-d data (determined by using the 3-d data and the predictive equation) matched the directly measured 21-d data. Body stores of vitamin A determined from either the calculated or directly measured 21-d enrichment data also showed agreement.

Conclusion: Percentage enrichment at 3 d (but not at 6 h) can be used to evaluate vitamin A body stores in humans.

Key Words: Deuterated vitamin A • retinol enrichment • total-body vitamin A stores • Chinese children • stable isotope

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