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Response to oral β‐carotene supplementation in patients with cystic fibrosis: a 16‐month follow‐up study
Author(s) -
WinklhoferRoob BM,
Van't Hof MA,
Shmerling DH
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1995.tb13512.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cystic fibrosis , gastroenterology , retinol , beta carotene , retinyl palmitate , oral administration , carotene , vitamin , endocrinology , chemistry , organic chemistry
The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of long‐term oral β ‐carotene supplementation for correcting impaired β ‐carotene status in cystic fibrosis patients. Thirty‐five patients (2.3‐30.5 years of age) with coefficients of fat absorption of 46‐96% (median 88%) received β ‐carotene 0.5 mg/kg daily and were followed over a 16‐month treatment period. Baseline plasma β ‐carotene concentrations in patients (meanSD, 0.090.06 μ mol/1) were significantly lower than those of age‐matched controls (0.860.56 μ mol/1) ( p < 0.0001). Concentrations increased rapidly and reached a plateau at or before 3 weeks that was maintained throughout the study period. Values obtained at 3 weeks (0.890.64 μ mol/1) were significantly higher ( p < 0.0001) than those at baseline and did not differ from controls. Plasma retinol and α ‐tocopherol concentrations increased during the observation period, but remained within normal ranges. Plasma retinyl palmitate, which was below the detection limit in all but one patient at baseline, did not increase. Thus oral β ‐carotene supplementation is effective and normalizes β ‐carotene status of cystic fibrosis patients without evidence of significant side effects. β ‐Carotene, cystic fibrosis, LDL‐cholesterol, oral supplementation, retinol, α‐tocopherol