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Journal of Tropical Pediatrics 1998 44(2):96-99; doi:10.1093/tropej/44.2.96
© 1998 by Oxford University Press
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Age and Sex are Important Factors in Determining Normal Retinol Levels

Bo S. Lindblad*, Mahendra Patel, PhD**, Mustafa Hamadeh, M.Sc.**, Nelly Helmy, M.Sc.**, Ibrahim Ahmad, PhD**, Adekunie Dawodu, PhD** and Shakila Zaman, PhD***

*Department of Paediatrics, The Aga Khan University Stadium Road, P.O. Box 3500, Karachi-74800 Pakistan and Karolinska institutet, Stockholm Sweden
**Department of Paediatrics, United Arab Emirates University Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
***Department of Preventive Paediatrics, King Edward Medical College Lahore, Pakistan

Cut-off levels for serum retinol levels of 20 µg/dI for marginal and 10 µg/dI for definite deficiency have been advocated and extensively used in population studies. However, the blood serum levels of retinol of the newborn are known to be very low and although the age dependency of the retinol binding protein has been described, the normal levels of serum retinal at different ages have not been reported from larger series. While studying poor populations of young infants in Lahore, Pakistan, we thought it necessary to try to achieve appropriate reference values by analysing the levels of serum retinol of expatriates from the Indian subcontinent who live in the affluent United Arab Emirates, where retlnol deficiency is not seen either at the hospital or the community level. We have studied maternal, cord blood, Infantile and adult levels of retinol and found a highly significant age relationship of serum retinol levels. During very early infancy the ‘normal’ mean is below what has been considered deficiency. This is new information and important in the evaluation of retinol status of individuals as well as populations. In addition, we found lower levels in women, pregnant or non-pregnant, than those in adult men. This sex difference in adults was not seen in Infants. We recommend a cut off level for deficiency of 10 µg/di but only for those above 1 month of postnatal age.


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