Cochrane · systematic review · CD007480
Vitamin A supplementation for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants one to six months of age
Imdad, A, Ahmed, Z, Bhutta, ZA · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2016 · Cochrane Library
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
7
current version
GRADE rated
7
No studies
0
Included studies
NR
No studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 0 · 0%Low 3 · 42.9%Moderate 3 · 42.9%High 1 · 14.3%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Current version onlyVitamin A supplementation for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants one to six months of age
Population: infants 1 to 6 months of age
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
All‐cause mortality: longest | RR 1.05 [0.89, 1.25] | 9 studies · 21339 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Morbidity: diarrhoea: point prevalence | RR 0.99 [0.93, 1.05] | 2 studies · 9891 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Adverse effects: bulging fontanelle within 48 to 72 hours | RR 3.1 [1.89, 5.09] | 9 studies · 13493 participants | High |
Adverse effects: vomiting 48 to 72 hours | RR 0.95 [0.67, 1.35] | 2 studies · 2187 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Adverse effects: diarrhoea 48 to 72 hours | RR 1.07 [0.82, 1.4] | 3 studies · 2176 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Adverse effects: fever 48 to 72 hours | RR 0.94 [0.83, 1.07] | 3 studies · 3187 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Vitamin A deficiency: retinol < 0.7 μmol/L | RR 0.86 [0.7, 1.06] | 4 studies · 1204 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Maternal vitamin A supplementation compared to placebo for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants up to six weeks of age
Population: patients with the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants up to six weeks of age
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
All‐cause mortality in the first year of life Maternal vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 1 [0.94, 1.06] | 7 studies · 96203 participants | High |
All‐cause mortality at 1 month Maternal vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 0.98 [0.87, 1.11] | 2 studies · 84537 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
ARI‐related mortality in the first year of life verbal autopsy or lay reporting Maternal vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 1.59 [0.84, 2.99] | 2 studies · 5207 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias |
Diarrhoea‐related mortality in the first year of life verbal autopsy or lay reporting Maternal vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 2.57 [0.72, 9.12] | 2 studies · 5207 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias |
Morbidity due to acute respiratory infections11 Maternal vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | Rate ratio 0.96 [0.85, 1.08] | 1 study · 598 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Morbidity due to diarrhoea11 Maternal vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 1.1 [0.99, 1.23] | 1 study · 598 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Adverse effects Maternal vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 0 [0, 0] | 2 studies · 700 participants | Ungraded |
Young infant vitamin A supplementation compared to placebo for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants six months of age or less
Population: patients with the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants six months of age or less
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
All‐cause mortality in the first year of life Young infant vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 0.97 [0.83, 1.12] | 9 studies · 59402 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
All‐cause mortality at 1 month Young infant vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 0.9 [0.75, 1.08] | 3 studies · 17000 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias |
Diarrhoea‐related mortality in the first year of life verbal autopsy or lay reporting Young infant vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 1.01 [0.72, 1.41] | 7 studies · 47998 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias |
ARI‐related mortality in the first year of life verbal autopsy or lay reporting Young infant vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 1.12 [0.91, 1.39] | 7 studies · 47998 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Morbidity in the first year of life ‐ Diarrhoea Young infant vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 1.02 [0.99, 1.06] | 6 studies · 24802 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Morbidity in the first year of life ‐ Acute respiratory infection or respiratory difficulty Young infant vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 1.04 [0.95, 1.15] | 4 studies · 24019 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Adverse effects of vitamin A supplementation ‐ Bulging fontanelle following any dose of vitamin A Young infant vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 1.55 [1.05, 2.28] | 10 studies · 32978 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Young infant vitamin A supplementation compared to placebo for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants six months of age or less
Population: patients with the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants six months of age or less
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Mortality in the first year of life ‐ Neonatal vitamin A supplementation Young infant vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 0.94 [0.79, 1.12] | 7 studies · 38865 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Mortality in the first year of life ‐ Post neonatal Vitamin A supplementation Young infant vitamin A supplementation vs placebo | RR 1.05 [0.84, 1.32] | 3 studies · 20537 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |