Cochrane · systematic review · CD008524
Vitamin A supplementation for preventing morbidity and mortality in children from six months to five years of age
Imdad, A, Mayo-Wilson, E, Haykal, MR, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2022 · 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
11
current version
GRADE rated
11
No studies
0
Included studies
NR
No studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 0 · 0%Low 4 · 36.4%Moderate 5 · 45.5%High 2 · 18.2%
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 versus placebo or usual care for preventing morbidity and mortality in children from 6 months to 5 years of age
Population: children aged between 6 months and 5 years
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
All‐cause mortality Vitamin A supplementation vs placebo or usual care | RR 0.88 [0.83, 0.93] | 19 studies · 1202382 participants | High |
Mortality due to diarrhoea Vitamin A supplementation vs placebo or usual care | RR 0.88 [0.79, 0.98] | 9 studies · 1098538 participants | High |
Mortality due to measles Vitamin A supplementation vs placebo or usual care | RR 0.88 [0.69, 1.11] | 6 studies · 1088261 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Mortality due to LRTI Vitamin A supplementation vs placebo or usual care | RR 0.98 [0.86, 1.12] | 9 studies · 1098538 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Diarrhoea incidence Mean episodes per child per year Vitamin A supplementation vs placebo or usual care | RR 0.85 [0.82, 0.87] | 15 studies · 77946 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Measles incidence Mean episodes of measles per child per year Vitamin A supplementation vs placebo or usual care | RR 0.5 [0.37, 0.67] | 6 studies · 19566 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
LRTI incidence Mean episodes per child per year Vitamin A supplementation vs placebo or usual care | RR 0.99 [0.92, 1.06] | 11 studies · 27540 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Bitot's spots incidence Vitamin A supplementation vs placebo or usual care | RR 0.42 [0.33, 0.53] | 5 studies · 1063278 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Night blindness incidence Vitamin A supplementation vs placebo or usual care | RR 0.32 [0.21, 0.5] | 2 studies · 22972 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Vomiting Vitamin A supplementation vs placebo or usual care | RR 1.97 [1.44, 2.69] | 4 studies · 10541 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Vitamin A deficiency Vitamin A supplementation vs placebo or usual care | RR 0.71 [0.65, 0.78] | 4 studies · 2262 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Comparison
Population: children aged between 6 months and 5 years
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
All‐cause mortality | RR 0.88 [0.83, 0.93] | 19 studies · 1202382 participants | High |
Mortality due to diarrhoea | RR 0.88 [0.79, 0.98] | 9 studies · 1098538 participants | High |
Mortality due to measles | RR 0.88 [0.69, 1.11] | 6 studies · 1088261 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Mortality due to LRTI | RR 0.98 [0.86, 1.12] | 9 studies · 1098538 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Diarrhoea incidence Mean episodes per child per year | Rate ratio 0.85 | 15 studies · 77946 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Measles incidence Mean episodes of measles per child per year | Rate ratio 0.5 | 6 studies · 19566 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
LRTI incidence Mean episodes per child per year | Rate ratio 0.99 | 11 studies · 27 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Bitot's spots incidence | RR 0.42 | 5 studies · 1063278 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Night blindness incidence | RR 0.32 | 2 studies · 22972 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Vitamin A deficiency | RR 0.71 | 4 studies · 2262 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Vomiting | RR 1.97 | 4 studies · 10541 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Comparison
Population: Children aged between 6 months and five years
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
All‐cause mortality | RR 0.76 | 17 studies · 194795 participants | High |
Diarrhoea‐related mortality | RR 0.72 | 7 studies · 90951 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Measles‐related mortality | RR 0.8 | 5 studies · 88261 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
LRTI‐related mortality | RR 0.78 | 7 studies · 90951 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Diarrhoea incidence Mean episodes per child per year | Rate ratio 0.85 | 13 studies · 69972 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Measles‐morbidity incidence Mean episodes of measles per child per year | Rate ratio 0.5 | 6 studies · 19566 participants | High |
LRTI‐morbidity incidence Mean episodes per child per year | Rate ratio 1.14 | 9 studies · 19566 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Bitot's spots | RR 0.45 | 4 studies · 63278 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Night blindness | RR 0.32 | 2 studies · 22972 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Vitamin A deficiency | RR 0.71 | 4 studies · 2262 participants | High |
Vomiting | RR 2.75 | 3 studies · 2994 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |