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Journal of Nutritional Science and... 2023The role of vitamin A in the pathophysiological context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represents a current challenge, given the major impact of COVID-19 on...
The role of vitamin A in the pathophysiological context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represents a current challenge, given the major impact of COVID-19 on morbidity and mortality and the importance of retinol in pulmonary and immunomodulatory functions. The aim of this review is to assess the relationship between vitamin A nutritional status and clinical outcomes in people with COVID-19. The PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and ScienceDirect databases were used to search for observational studies that assessed retinol levels in hospitalized individuals with COVID-19, following the PRISMA recommendations. A total of 1,912 articles were identified and seven met the inclusion criteria. Four studies showed borderline or deficient retinol blood levels (retinol <0.20 mg/L or <0.70 mol/L) in people with COVID-19, associated with worsened clinical outcomes. In the other three studies lower mean values of this vitamin were identified in COVID-19 symptomatic groups compared to asymptomatic or convalescent groups that showed worse clinical outcomes. The results suggest a possible association between retinol and COVID-19 outcomes. However, there is a clear need to develop clinical trials to elucidate the role of vitamin A in the pathophysiological process of COVID-19.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Vitamin A; SARS-CoV-2; Nutritional Status; Vitamins
PubMed: 38171811
DOI: 10.3177/jnsv.69.395 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Oct 2015The World Health Organization recommends routine vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy or lactation in areas with endemic vitamin A deficiency (where night... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
The World Health Organization recommends routine vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy or lactation in areas with endemic vitamin A deficiency (where night blindness occurs), based on the expectation that supplementation will improve maternal and newborn outcomes including mortality, morbidity and prevention of anaemia or infection.
OBJECTIVES
To review the effects of supplementation of vitamin A, or one of its derivatives, during pregnancy, alone or in combination with other vitamins and micronutrients, on maternal and newborn clinical outcomes.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (30 March 2015) and reference lists of retrieved studies.
SELECTION CRITERIA
All randomised or quasi-randomised trials, including cluster-randomised trials, evaluating the effect of vitamin A supplementation in pregnant women.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy.
MAIN RESULTS
We reviewed 106 reports of 35 trials, published between 1931 and 2015. We included 19 trials including over 310,000 women, excluded 15 trials and one is ongoing. Overall, seven trials were judged to be of low risk of bias, three were high risk of bias and for nine it was unclear. 1) Vitamin A alone versus placebo or no treatmentOverall, when trial results are pooled, vitamin A supplementation does not affect the risk of maternal mortality (risk ratio (RR) 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65 to 1.20; four trials Ghana, Nepal, Bangladesh, UK, high quality evidence), perinatal mortality (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.07; one study, high quality evidence), neonatal mortality, stillbirth, neonatal anaemia, preterm birth (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.01, five studies, high quality evidence), or the risk of having a low birthweight baby.Vitamin A supplementation reduces the risk of maternal night blindness (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.98; two trials). There is evidence that vitamin A supplements may reduce maternal clinical infection (RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.99, five trials; South Africa, Nepal, Indonesia, Tanzania, UK, low quality evidence) and maternal anaemia (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.94; three studies, moderate quality evidence). 2) Vitamin A alone versus micronutrient supplements without vitamin AVitamin A alone compared to micronutrient supplements without vitamin A does not decrease maternal clinical infection (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.18, two trials, 591 women). No other primary or secondary outcomes were reported 3) Vitamin A with other micronutrients versus micronutrient supplements without vitamin AVitamin A supplementation (with other micronutrients) does not decrease perinatal mortality (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.10 to 2.69; one study, low quality evidence), maternal anaemia (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.09; three studies, low quality evidence), maternal clinical infection (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.13; I² = 45%, two studies, low quality evidence) or preterm birth (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.93; one study, low quality evidence).In HIV-positive women vitamin A supplementation given with other micronutrients was associated with fewer low birthweight babies (< 2.5 kg) in the supplemented group in one study (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.96; one study, 594 women).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
The pooled results of three large trials in Nepal, Ghana and Bangladesh (with over 153,500 women) do not currently suggest a role for antenatal vitamin A supplementation to reduce maternal or perinatal mortality. However, the populations studied were probably different with regard to baseline vitamin A status and there were problems with follow-up of women. There is good evidence that antenatal vitamin A supplementation reduces maternal night blindness, maternal anaemia for women who live in areas where vitamin A deficiency is common or who are HIV-positive. In addition the available evidence suggests a reduction in maternal infection, but these data are not of a high quality.
Topics: Anemia; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant Mortality; Infant, Newborn; Maternal Mortality; Night Blindness; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Vitamin A; Vitamin A Deficiency; Vitamins
PubMed: 26503498
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008666.pub3 -
Archives of Medical Research Feb 2023Gastric cancer (GC) is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and thus patients have a poor prognosis. This implies that early detection of this cancer will improve... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Gastric cancer (GC) is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and thus patients have a poor prognosis. This implies that early detection of this cancer will improve patient prognosis and survival. This systematic review explored the association of circulating protein and metabolite biomarkers with GC development.
METHODS
A literature search was conducted until November 2021 on Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, and Web of Science databases. Studies were included if they assessed circulating proteins and metabolites in blood, urine, or saliva and determined their association with GC risk. Quality of identified studies was determined using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for cohort studies. Random and fixed effects meta-analyses were performed to calculate pooled odds ratio.
RESULTS
A total of 53 studies were included. High levels of anti-Helicobacter pylORi IgG levels, pepsinogen I (PGI) <30 µg/L and serum pepsinogen I/ pepsinogen II (PGI/II) ratio<3 were positively associated with risk of developing GC (pooled odds ratio (OR): 2.70; 95% CI: 1.44-5.04, 5.96, 95% CI: 2.65-13.42 and 4.43; 95% CI: 3.04-6.47). In addition, an inverse relationship was found between ferritin, iron and transferrin levels and risk of developing GC (OR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.38-1,0.97; 95% CI: 0.94-1 and 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76-0.94). However, there was no association between levels of glucose, cholesterol, vitamin C, vitamin B12, vitamin A, α-Carotene, β-Carotene, α-Tocopherol, γ-Tocopherol, and GC risk.
CONCLUSION
The pooled analysis demonstrated that high levels of anti-Helicobacter pylORi IgG, PGI<30µg/L and serum PGI/II ratio <3 and low levels of ferritin, iron and transferrin were associated with risk of GC.
Topics: Humans; Stomach Neoplasms; Pepsinogen A; Biomarkers; Pepsinogen C; Immunoglobulin G; Ferritins; Iron; Transferrins; Helicobacter Infections
PubMed: 36759293
DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2022.12.012 -
Nutrients Mar 2018The aim of is to determine the association of vitamins with glaucoma by performing a systematic review and meta-analyses. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
The aim of is to determine the association of vitamins with glaucoma by performing a systematic review and meta-analyses.
METHODS
Studies on the relation of vitamins and glaucoma published up to December 2017 were identified in the PubMed and Embase database. Data on vitamins (method of assessment), glaucoma (type and method of assessment), study characteristics and quality were recorded. In case of multiple studies for one nutrient a meta-analysis was performed.
RESULTS
A total of 629 articles were identified of which 36 were included in the systematic review. The meta-analysis included five of them (940 open-angle glaucoma (OAG) cases and 123,697 controls in total) and resulted in an odds ratio [95% confidence interval] (OR [95% CI]) of 0.58 [0.37-0.91] for dietary vitamin A, though heterogeneity was high (I² = 51%). After omitting studies that contributed significantly to the heterogeneity, the pooled OR [95% CI] was 0.45 [0.30-0.68] for dietary vitamin A on OAG (I² = 0%). For vitamin B1, C and E no significant association with OAG was found (OR [95% CI]: 0.84 [0.47-1.51]; 0.68 [0.38-1.22]; 0.95 [0.75-1.19]; respectively). However, after addressing heterogeneity, vitamin C showed a protective effect as well. Especially, foods high in these vitamins (e.g., dark green vegetables) were protective for OAG.
CONCLUSIONS
Dietary intake of vitamin A and C showed a beneficial association with OAG; however, findings on blood levels of vitamins do not show a clear relation with OAG.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Ascorbic Acid; Chi-Square Distribution; Diet; Glaucoma, Open-Angle; Humans; Middle Aged; Odds Ratio; Prevalence; Prognosis; Protective Factors; Risk Factors; Vitamin A
PubMed: 29547516
DOI: 10.3390/nu10030359 -
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia... Mar 2021Chili is the most heavily and frequently consumed spice, either as a flavouring or colouring agent, and it is also a major source of pro-vitamin A, vitamin E and C. The...
BACKGROUND
Chili is the most heavily and frequently consumed spice, either as a flavouring or colouring agent, and it is also a major source of pro-vitamin A, vitamin E and C. The main capsinoidcapsaicinoid found in chili peppers is capsaicin. It has been demonstrated that capsaicin acts as a cancer-suppressing agent through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, by blocking several signal transduction pathways. Oral squamous cell carcinoma is one of the most prevalent cancer worldwide. It is noteworthy that in countries where populations of diverse ethnic groups co-exist, differences have been observed in terms of incidence of oral cancer. The variances in their diet could explain, at least in part, these differences. The objective of this systematic review is to explore if there is evidence of a possible relationship between capsaicin intake and the incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma, and discuss such association.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A bibliographical search was made in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases, and finally 7 experimental studies were included; OHAT risk of bias tool was used to assess their quality.
RESULTS
allAll the studies confirm that capsaicin is a chemopreventive agent that prevents the development of oral cancer, through inhibition of malignant cell proliferation and increase of apoptosis.
CONCLUSIONS
More human studies are needed in order to clarify the real link between consumption of chili (capsaicin) and the prevalence of oral cancer.
Topics: Capsaicin; Capsicum; Carcinogenesis; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Humans; Mouth Neoplasms
PubMed: 33609025
DOI: 10.4317/medoral.24570 -
International Breastfeeding Journal Jan 2021This study aims to systematically review the effects of maternal vitamin and/or mineral supplementation on the content of breast milk. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
This study aims to systematically review the effects of maternal vitamin and/or mineral supplementation on the content of breast milk.
METHODS
We systematically searched electronic databases including Medline via PubMed, Scopus and ISI Web of Science till May 24, 2018. The following terms were used systematically in all mentioned databases: ("human milk" OR "breast milk" OR "breast milk composition" OR "human breast milk composition" OR "composition breast milk" OR "mother milk" OR "human breast milk" OR "maternal milk") AND ("vitamin a" OR "retinol" OR "retinal" OR "retinoic acid" OR "beta-carotene" OR "beta carotene" OR "ascorbic acid" OR "l-ascorbic acid" OR "l ascorbic acid" OR "vitamin c" OR "vitamin d" OR "cholecalciferol" OR "ergocalciferol" OR "calciferol" OR "vitamin e" OR "tocopherol" OR "tocotrienol" OR "alpha-tocopherol" OR "alpha tocopherol" OR "α-tocopherol" OR "α tocopherol" OR "vitamin k" OR "vitamin b" OR "vitamin b complex" OR "zinc" OR "iron" OR "copper" Or "selenium" OR "manganese" OR "magnesium") and we searched Medline via Medical subject Headings (MeSH) terms. We searched Google Scholar for to increase the sensitivity of our search. The search was conducted on human studies, but it was not limited to the title and abstract. Methodological quality and risk of bias of included studies were evaluated by Jadad scale and Cochrane risk of bias tools, respectively.
RESULTS
This review included papers on three minerals (zinc, iron, selenium) and 6 vitamins (vitamin A, B, D, C, E and K) in addition to multi-vitamin supplements. Although studies had different designs, e.g. not using random allocation and/or blinding, our findings suggest that maternal use of some dietary supplements, including vitamin A, D, vitamin B1, B2 and vitamin C might be reflected in human milk. Vitamin supplements had agreater effect on breast milk composition compared to minerals. Higher doses of supplements showed higher effects and they were reflected more in colostrum than in the mature milk.
CONCLUSION
Maternal dietary vitamin and/or mineral supplementation, particularly fat- soluble vitamins, vitamin B1, B2 and C might be reflected in the breast milk composition. No difference was found between mega dose and single dose administration of minerals.
Topics: Dietary Supplements; Female; Humans; Milk, Human; Mothers; Selenium; Vitamin B Complex
PubMed: 33397426
DOI: 10.1186/s13006-020-00354-0 -
Frontiers in Nutrition 2022Allergic diseases are type I hypersensitivity reactions mediated by various allergens. The most common allergic diseases include allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma,...
BACKGROUND
Allergic diseases are type I hypersensitivity reactions mediated by various allergens. The most common allergic diseases include allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, allergic dermatitis, and allergic conjunctivitis. The incidence of allergic diseases has been increasing in the recent past, and allergen avoidance and adoption of desensitization treatment can significantly decrease the incidence of allergic diseases. Previous studies have explored the association between vitamin A supplementation and allergic diseases; however, the results are inconsistency. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between vitamin A supplementation and allergic diseases, with a focus on atopy and wheezing.
METHODS
Articles reporting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the association of vitamin A supplementation and allergic diseases were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Web of science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure database from inception of to November 15, 2021. STATA 12.0 software was used for meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis and analysis of publication bias.
RESULTS
Seven studies comprising 2201 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The findings showed that vitamin A supplementation was associated with increased risk of atopy in young females compared with the placebo [RR = 1.70, 95% confidence interval (1.20, 2.41), = 0.171, = 43.4% fixed effect model]. The frequency of delayed atopy among adults was associated with vitamin A supplementation (MD = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.04, 0.88). Analysis showed no significant association between vitamin A supplementation with incidence of wheezing in children [RR = 1.40, 95% CI (0.49, 3.98), = 0.018, = 82.1% random effect model]. Sensitivity and publication bias analysis showed that each individual study did not affect the combined results and there was no significant publication bias among the studies.
CONCLUSION
The findings showed that vitamin A supplementation is associated with increased risk of atopy but no correlation was observed with the incidence of wheezing. The results of this meta-analysis provide evidence for effective management of fibrosis. More studies should be conducted to verify the results.
PubMed: 36466392
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.984161 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024The published data on the vitamin status of patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) is contradictory; therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The published data on the vitamin status of patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) is contradictory; therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the vitamin status of PKU patients. A comprehensive search of multiple databases (PubMed, Web of Sciences, Cochrane, and Scopus) was finished in March 2024. The included studies compared vitamin levels between individuals diagnosed with early-treated PKU and healthy controls while excluding pregnant and lactating women, untreated PKU or hyperphenylalaninemia cases, control groups receiving vitamin supplementation, PKU patients receiving tetrahydrobiopterin or pegvaliase, and conference abstracts. The risk of bias in the included studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The effect sizes were expressed as standardised mean differences. The calculation of effect sizes with 95% CI using fixed-effects models and random-effects models was performed. A -value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The study protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42024519589). Out of the initially identified 11,086 articles, 24 met the criteria. The total number of participants comprised 770 individuals with PKU and 2387 healthy controls. The meta-analyses of cross-sectional and case-control studies were conducted for vitamin B12, D, A, E, B6 and folate levels. PKU patients demonstrated significantly higher folate levels (random-effects model, SMD: 1.378, 95% CI: 0.436, 2.320, = 0.004) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations (random-effects model, SMD: 2.059, 95% CI: 0.250, 3.868, = 0.026) compared to the controls. There were no significant differences in vitamin A, E, B6, B12 or 25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels. The main limitations of the evidence include a limited number of studies and their heterogeneity and variability in patients' compliance. Our findings suggest that individuals with PKU under nutritional guidance can achieve a vitamin status comparable to that of healthy subjects. Our study provides valuable insights into the nutritional status of PKU patients, but further research is required to confirm these findings and explore additional factors influencing vitamin status in PKU.
Topics: Phenylketonurias; Humans; Vitamins; Vitamin D; Folic Acid; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin A
PubMed: 38791104
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105065 -
Brain Sciences Oct 2023β-carotene is a powerful antioxidant and dietary precursor of vitamin A whose role in maintaining mental health and cognitive performance, either alone or in... (Review)
Review
β-carotene is a powerful antioxidant and dietary precursor of vitamin A whose role in maintaining mental health and cognitive performance, either alone or in combination with other dietary compounds, has been a topic of recent research. However, its effectiveness is still unclear. This systematic review, conducted according to the PRISMA guideline and assisted by the MySLR platform, addressed this issue. A total of 16 eligible original research articles were identified. Dietary intake or β-carotene serum levels were associated with improved measures of cognitive function in 7 out of 10 epidemiological studies included. In intervention studies, β-carotene consumption alone did not promote better cognitive function in the short term, but only in a long-term intervention with a mean duration of 18 years. However, all but one intervention study suggested the beneficial effects of β-carotene supplementation at doses ranging from 6 mg to 50 mg per day in combination with a multicomplex such as vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc, or selenium for a period of 16 weeks to 20 years. Despite the current limitations, the available evidence suggests a potential association between β-carotene dietary/supplementary intake and the maintenance of cognitive function. The β-carotene most probably does not act alone but in synergy with other micronutrients.
PubMed: 37891835
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13101468 -
Nutrients Jul 2023Nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy can have serious consequences for the health of the (unborn) child. This systematic review provides an updated overview of the... (Review)
Review
Nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy can have serious consequences for the health of the (unborn) child. This systematic review provides an updated overview of the available food and nutrient intake data for pregnant women in The Netherlands and an evaluation based on the current recommendations. Embase, MEDLINE, and national institute databases were used. Articles were selected if they had been published since 2008 and contained data on food consumption, nutrient intake, or the status of healthy pregnant women. A qualitative comparison was made with the 2021 Dutch Health Council recommendations and reference values. A total of 218 reports were included, representing 54 individual studies. Dietary assessments were primarily performed via food frequency questionnaires. Protein, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B, folate, vitamin B, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and magnesium intakes seemed to be adequate. For folate and vitamin D, supplements were needed to reach the recommended intake. The reasons for concern are the low intakes of fruits, vegetables, and (fatty) fish, and the intakes of alcohol, sugary drinks, and salt. For several foods and nutrients, no or limited intake data were found. High-quality, representative, and recent data are needed to evaluate the nutrient intake of pregnant women in order to make accurate assessments and evaluations, supporting scientific-based advice and national nutritional policies.
Topics: Animals; Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Pregnant Women; Netherlands; Energy Intake; Eating; Vitamins; Folic Acid; Diet
PubMed: 37447397
DOI: 10.3390/nu15133071