RELATIONSHIP OF VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY AND XEROPHTHALMIA AMONG SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN (5–15 YEARS) AND IT'S TREATMENT

Abstract

Background: Vitamin A deficiency is also a significant nutritional issue in children in low- and middle-income countries, and a leading cause of ocular morbidity which is preventable. It influences epithelial integrity, immune response, growth, and vision and may manifest itself clinically as xerophthalmia, night blindness, Bitot spots, and corneal alterations. Children of school-going age are not commonly researched as compared to children in preschool even though they are prone to poor dieting, frequent infections and they lack preventive health interventions.

Objective: To determine the relationship of vitamin A deficiency with xerophthalmia among school-aged children (5–15 years) and to assess treatment outcomes after standard vitamin A therapy.

Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study with a follow-up following the treatment process was carried out at Gomal Medical College, Dera Ismail Khan, between January 2023 and June 2023. Seventy-two children of the age group 5 to 15 years with clinical and/or biochemical evidence of vitamin A deficiency were included. The demographic, nutritional, dietary, social determinants of health, visual observation, skin, and biochemical parameters were noted. Vitamin A therapy was administered to all diagnosed kids and where necessary, supportive treatment was administered. Data analysis was done in the SPSS version 26. The quantitative variables were displayed as mean (SD), qualitative variables as frequency and percentage and p 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.

Results: The mean age of participants was 9.8 ± 2.9 years, with slight male predominance. Most children belonged to rural and low socioeconomic backgrounds and had poor dietary diversity. Common ocular findings included night blindness (47.2%), ocular dryness (43.1%), conjunctival xerosis (40.3%), and Bitot’s spots (30.6%). Dermatological manifestations such as dry rough skin and xerosis cutis were also frequent. Children with xerophthalmia had significantly lower serum retinol, hemoglobin, and serum albumin levels compared with those without ocular involvement. Following treatment, 80.6% of children showed overall clinical improvement.

Conclusion: Vitamin A deficiency was strongly associated with xerophthalmia among school-aged children and was commonly accompanied by poor nutrition, recurrent infections, dermatological signs, and biochemical abnormalities. Early recognition and treatment with vitamin A supplementation led to substantial clinical improvement. Strengthening nutritional awareness, supplementation programs, and early screening may help reduce preventable ocular morbidity in children.