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Serum Levels and Liver Store of Retinol and Their Association with Night Blindness in Individuals with Class III Obesity

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Abstract

Background

Studies showed a rise in obesity prevalence in world population and evidences point to a possible association with vitamin A deficiency (VAD). The objective of this study is to assess vitamin A nutritional status through functional [night blindness diagnosis—xerophthalmia (XN)] and biochemical (serum levels and retinol liver store) indicators of class III obesity individuals and its association.

Methods

We studied 114 patients of both genders with BMI ≥40 kg/m2, candidates to bariatric surgery at Clínica Cirúrgica Carlos Saboya in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. XN was diagnosed through a standardized interview (WHO and MacLaren and Frigg), and serum levels and retinol liver store were quantified by HPLC-UV with <1.05 μmol/L and < 20 mg/g cutoffs for VAD, respectively.

Results

XN prevalence was 23.8%, and serum levels and retinol liver store inadequacy were 14.0% and 80%, respectively. The association between VAD and XN presence (p = 0.003) was observed with the biochemical indicator and the gold standard, retinol liver store (p = 0.003 and p = 0.018, respectively). Means were 59.3% (sensitivity), 87.4% (specificity), and 80.8% (accuracy) as regards to the XN role in predicting VAD according to the biochemical indicator. As regards to retinol liver store, XN diagnosis presented 48% of sensitivity and 75% of specificity. VAD highest indexes occurred in patients with highest BMI (rs-0.21, p = 0.02). Distribution of XN prevalence was 59.2% according to serum retinol.

Conclusions

VAD and XN prevalence was high in class III obesity individuals, and the functional indicator for XN diagnosis may be a promising method for diagnosis in this group.

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Conflict of Interest

None of the authors had any financial or personal interest in any organization sponsoring the research at the time it was done.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vitamin A Research Group, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Dona Mariana, 143/F11, CEP: 22280020, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Silvia Elaine Pereira

  2. American College of Surgeons, Brazilian Society of Bariatric Surgery, International College of Surgeons, Brazilian College of Surgeons, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Carlos José Saboya

  3. Instituto de Nutrição Josué de Castro, Vitamin A Research Group, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Cláudia Saunders & Andrea Ramalho

Authors
  1. Silvia Elaine Pereira
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  2. Carlos José Saboya
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  3. Cláudia Saunders
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  4. Andrea Ramalho
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Correspondence to Silvia Elaine Pereira.

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Pereira, S.E., Saboya, C.J., Saunders, C. et al. Serum Levels and Liver Store of Retinol and Their Association with Night Blindness in Individuals with Class III Obesity. OBES SURG 22, 602–608 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-011-0522-y

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