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Plasma retinol concentration according to pubertal maturation in school children and adolescents of Medellín, Colombia

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 58, pages 456–461 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Aim: To describe plasma retinol values according to age, gender and pubertal maturation.

Type of study: Comparative, transverse and descriptive.

Place: Medellín, Colombia.

Subjects and methods: Plasma retinol values were determined in 588 boys and 531 girls aged between 6 and 18 y. For this, we used spectrophotometry by UV oxidation of retinol, results below 0.87 mmol/l were confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Results: Mean retinol plasma concentrations were slightly higher in girls under 10 y. However, above this age, values are generally higher in boys. Plasma retinol concentrations increased with pubertal maturation in both boys and girls in a statistically significant manner. The highest values were observed in girls with mammary development grades 3 and 4 (P<0.05) and in boys with external genitalia development grades 1 and 2 (P<0.05). Vitamin A deficiency based on plasma retinol concentration (<0.70 mmol/l), was observed in 3.6% of all individuals regardless of gender.

Conclusions: Plasma retinol concentration is correlated to pubertal maturation in both boys and girls. Vitamin A deficiency in school children and adolescents of Medellín is not a major health problem.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia

    M C Álvarez Uribe, R M Uscátegui Peñuela & C López Bedoya

  2. Instituto Nacional de Salud de Colombia (INS), Colombia

    C M Baracaldo Barrera, L Castro & V Noy Ballesteros

Authors
  1. M C Álvarez Uribe
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  2. R M Uscátegui Peñuela
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  3. C López Bedoya
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  4. C M Baracaldo Barrera
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  5. L Castro
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  6. V Noy Ballesteros
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Contributions

Guarantor: MC Álvarez Uribe.

Contributors: MCA and RMU participated in the design, the recollection of data, analysis, and the ellaboration of the paper. CL, CMB, LC and VN processed the biochemical sample and they participated in the analysis and the ellaboration of the paper.

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Correspondence to M C Álvarez Uribe.

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Álvarez Uribe, M., Uscátegui Peñuela, R., López Bedoya, C. et al. Plasma retinol concentration according to pubertal maturation in school children and adolescents of Medellín, Colombia. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 456–461 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601828

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601828

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