Low serum vitamin A is prevalent in underfive children with severe malaria and is associated with increased risk of death

Introduction: Micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in developing countries and may influence vulnerability to diseases particularly malaria and its severity. This study investigated serum vitamin A profile of under-five children with severe malaria (SM) in South-western, Nigeria and to determine its association with degree of malaria parasitaemia, types of SM and eventual outcome. Methodology: Using HPLC, serum vitamin A concentrations of 170 under-five children with SM and 170 age-and gender-matched controls were determined. Parasite species identification and density were also determined. Association between serum vitamin A levels and the degree of parasitaemia, type of SM and patients' outcome were examined by both bivariate and logistic regression analyses. Results: Thirty-five (20.6%) of the children with SM compared with 3 (1.8%) of the controls had hypovitaminosis A, p < 0.001, OR = 14.4, 95% Confidence Interval = 4.4 - 47.8. The mean serum vitamin A concentration was also lower in the patients (45.23 mu g/dL vs. 87.28 mu g/dL; p < 0.001). There was inverse correlation between serum vitamin A levels and malaria parasite density (r = -0.103, p = 0.027). Higher proportions of children with SM and hypovitaminosis A presented with metabolic acidosis and cerebral malaria (p < 0.001 and 0.032 respectively). Children with SM and hypovitaminosis A were 9.1 times more likely to die compared to those without low serum vitamin A levels, OR = 9.1, 95% Confidence Interval = 2.2-38.1, p = 0.002. Conclusion: Children with SM had reduced serum vitamin A and significantly contributed to increased morbidity and mortality.