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Influence of Inflammation on Breast Milk Retinol Concentrations of Apparently Healthy Women in Rural Zambia
Author(s) -
Palmer Amanda,
Chileshe Justin,
Barffour Maxwell,
Hall Andrew,
West Keith,
Haskell Marjorie
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.39.4
Subject(s) - retinol , breast milk , medicine , inflammation , vitamin , vitamin a deficiency , lactation , endocrinology , breast feeding , retinol binding protein , physiology , immunology , pregnancy , biology , pediatrics , biochemistry , genetics
Breast milk retinol concentration may be less influenced by inflammation than plasma retinol. However, evidence is available from only a single study which was conducted in early lactation. We investigated this question in a cross‐sectional sample of apparently healthy, lactating mothers (n=144) at 4‐12 months postpartum in rural Zambia. We measured milk and plasma retinol by HPLC and inflammatory proteins by ELISA. Inflammation (CRP > 5 mg/L and/or AGP > 1 g/L) was highly prevalent (69.2%), even though women with malaria parasitemia and/or fever or diarrhea in the past week were excluded from the study. Women with inflammation were older and had both higher parity and BMI. Unadjusted analyses suggested an elevated prevalence of low plasma retinol (7.4 vs. 2.3%; p=0.23), but reduced prevalence of low milk retinol (51.5 vs. 65.1%; p=0.14), with concurrent inflammation. In adjusted models; however, only plasma retinol was significantly associated with inflammatory proteins (p=0.04 for test of CRP and AGP parameters). Inflammatory proteins were not associated with milk retinol, expressed either as vitamin A per volume (μmol/L; p=0.63) or per gram milk fat (μg/g fat; p=0.37). Our findings are consistent with prior research, suggesting that breast milk retinol concentration may be useful for evaluating vitamin A interventions in populations with a high prevalence of infection and/or subclinical inflammation.