description): The Vitamin A and Zinc - Prevention of Pneumonia (VAZPOP) Study. Linking Vitamin A and Zinc Deficiencies, Immunity, Growth, and the Prevention of the Leading Cause of Childhood Death. The objective is to delineate how vitamin A and zinc supplementation interact in improving immunity, fostering growth, and preventing infection, in populations at risk for malnutrition and vitamin A and zinc deficiency. Malnutrition is involved in half of the global deaths in children less than 5. Acute respiratory infection (ARI), especially acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) or pneumonia, is the leading cause of death in children. The investigators propose to conduct a randomized, placebo controlled, double blind, nutritionally stratified study of low dose vitamin A, 10 mg/day elemental zinc, both, or placebo in 2,400 children in Quito Ecuador. They will test the hypotheses that: a) low-dose vitamin A has paradoxically positive and negative effects on ALRI in underweight and well nourished children; b) zinc will protect against ALRI and diarrhea while boosting cell mediated immunity; c) growth will be fostered by zinc (and potentially by vitamin A) in deficient children; and d) misclassification of ALRI cases can mask the benefits or risks of vitamin A. The investigators will use state-of- the-art field techniques to assess body composition and growth, and utilize sophisticated techniques to assess vitamin A and zinc deficiency. In addition, they will use rigorous definitions of ALRI/pneumoma to avoid misclassification and ascertainment bias, which may have affected prior studies.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD038327-04
Application #
6627409
Study Section
Pediatrics Subcommittee (CHHD)
Program Officer
Grave, Gilman D
Project Start
2000-01-18
Project End
2004-12-31
Budget Start
2003-01-01
Budget End
2003-12-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$530,891
Indirect Cost
Name
Tufts University
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
039318308
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02111
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